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I, on the other hand, have had enough booze to find her comment funny. Apparently, once I start laughing, I can’t stop either. “I’m sorry,” I reply, holding my hands up in surrender.
She shrugs. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault he’s all talk and no girth.”
Kristie giggles uncontrollably. “So why do you keep sleeping with him?” she asks.
Penny looks her dead in the eye and says, “Because his tongue gets the job done.”
We all burst into laughter, and another weight lifts off my chest. I’m going to miss these girls. We’ve hung out for a handful of years now, and whenever I look back on my time here, it’ll be with them in mind. Texts and the occasional phones calls won’t be the same, but we’ll make it work. That’s what friends do.
“So, Penny, tell me about this tongue,” Kristie whispers, leaning in to hear all about it.
She dives into sex-fused stories about my former co-host before I can stop her, so I just sit back and enjoy what’s left of my time here. Unlike a week ago, when I was leaving Tennessee, this time I smile. Sure, I’m sad to leave my friends, the girls I’ve grown close to during my time in California, but I’m moving on to something bigger.
Something better.
Something real.
***
“Delta flight 8742 to Las Vegas, now boarding at gate 18.”
I grab the suitcase I’d barely unpacked just over a week ago, and head toward my gate. I throw my empty paper coffee cup in the trash, wishing I’d bought a second one before takeoff. Not that I need the extra caffeine, but because there’s something about hot coffee that’s so soothing on my frazzled nerves.
I’m nervous as hell for this flight, but that doesn’t stop me from taking it. I’m mere hours away from seeing Rueben. I’m not sure how he’s going to react when I show up on his doorstep, but I’m hoping elated and happy are a big part of it.
I guess we’ll find out, right?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rueben
“American Flight 2411, nonstop to San Francisco is now boarding at gate 22.”
I shoot my brother a quick text to let him know I’m boarding and stow my phone in my carry-on. I decided against bringing my laptop, even though a few hours of time on the airplane would do wonders for tidying up last minute details before my last day of work. Instead, I’ll use the time to catch up on a book I’ve been wanting to read, or at least, that’s what I tell myself. I already know my time inflight will be occupied the same way it’s been since I ran into Cricket again.
My mind will be on her.
Hell, I can’t even dream without her having the starring role. She’s everywhere, including my house. I see her in my room when I look at my bed and in the kitchen every time I use the Gatlinburg souvenir mug we each bought. I can’t even look at the hot tub without picturing our last time together. The way our bodies aligned perfectly and the soft gasps of pleasure that slipped from her lips.
Adjusting myself discretely, I pull out my printed boarding pass and jump in line. I watch as the businessmen and women enter first, followed by families and priority boarding. We slowly move along, my mind trying to figure out the right words to say. What do you say to a woman you’re about to surprise with a visit and a possible love declaration?
I’m hoping I get that figured out before I land.
“Thank you, sir, enjoy your flight,” the polite woman says as she hands me back my scanned pass.
With a quick nod, I head down the jetway and board the plane.
Every step brings me closer to Cricket.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cricket
My hands are already shaking as I follow the GPS on my phone to Rueben’s place. It’s mid-afternoon, the sun is shining high in the sky, and I’ll take that as a sign of happy, bright things to come. I have to. Otherwise, I’ll be even more nervous and probably wreck my rental car off the side of the mountain and die in a fiery crash before I can even confess that I’m falling in love with him.
Speaking of rental car, it’s a little freaky to be driving up a mountain in a Ford Focus. I probably should have taken the advice of the voice in my head to get the bigger SUV. But when you’re spending a big chunk of your savings on moving expenses, you have to cut corners wherever you can, and for me, that cut came in the way of Focus versus Toyota Highlander.
When I pull into the driveway, my heart starts to skip around in my chest like a kindergartener on her first day of school. Excitement and apprehension mix together, making it almost difficult to breathe. “It’s now or never, Cricket,” I whisper aloud, unbuckling my belt. I take a few deep, cleansing breaths and glance at my reflection in the rearview mirror. Today’s appearance is much better than that first time we ran into each other at the airport. My hair is up, yet stylish, and doesn’t reflect a big football helmet. I’m wearing comfortable leggings, which he seemed to appreciate every time I wore them before, and a cut cold-shoulder top. I even threw on a little makeup; a look that doesn’t scream late-night booty call.
