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Aleck: I want to eat your ass next.
I snort a laugh, causing Dottie and Keith to bring their attention back to me. “Sorry…” I gesture to my phone. “Trish, a work friend. She’s hilarious.”
Me: Why do you sleep with AirPods?
Aleck: I dream. They’re not enjoyable. Music helps keep them away.
Me: Is that why you don’t sleep next to anyone?
Aleck: Yes and no. Are you going to let me eat your ass or not?
Me: Goodnight, Aleck.
Aleck: Is that a no?
Four minutes later…
Aleck: Message received. One day, though, that ass is mine. Goodnight, Winter.
For a minute, I actually consider making a pitstop at Aleck’s room before retiring to my own. Then I realize, that is aterribleidea. This thing needs to end. I feel bad that the oral will never be reciprocated for all of three seconds before I realize women have been giving without receiving since the beginning of time. In the name of women everywhere I’ll happily call it quits without giving. I almostoweit to them.
Thisthingwith Aleck Fox is toast.
TWELVE
WINTER
Stepping out of the shower, I grab a towel as the sound of my phone vibrating against the wood of my nightstand tells me someone is calling. I jog to my phone dripping wet and see Sondra’s name across the screen.
“Hey you…” I answer.
“Win.” She sighs dramatically. “I miss you, darling.” Her tone is void of the usual spark Sondra delivers in just about everything she does.
“I miss you too. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything is fine. I’m just kind of bummed, you know? This whole week you and I were supposed to haveustime. This was supposed to be our last couple of weeks together before I become a married woman and everything changes.”
“Everythingwill not change. I’m so sorry this has happened. But hey, we’ll still have our time together after you get married, okay? Your life will just become fuller. Nothing will take you away from me. This isn’t goodbye.”
“You’re right. I’m just being dramatic. We’ll still have weekend getaways and girls’ nights. I just wish I could kidnap Preston and drive to the resort already. His family is so overbearing. His Aunt Fanny said‘Make sure you give him oral copulation often or his eyes will wander.’And yes, that’s her real goddamn name. Under any other circumstances, I’d be tickled, but this one’s a real bitch.”
“She’s not wrong…”
“Fuck you,” she hisses and we both laugh.
Sondra is right. This was supposed to be our time together before she becomes a married woman. I’m so used to being Sondra’s number one, I can’t even imagine life as her number two. But, I only want her to be happy, whatever happens. And that’s when it hits me like a ton of bricks.
“Oh, my god. Why don’t you?”
“What?”
“You’re like, what, two hours from here?” I put Sondra on speaker so I can get ready. “Tell your guests you and Preston want to go to dinner to spend some alone time together, then drive here. We’ll go out, have a good time, then you and Preston can drive back in the morning.”
“Oh my god, Winter, you’re brilliant. I’ll talk to Preston about it.”
“Aleck and I are meeting with the photographer to do a lighting check, then we’re free. Keith and Dot are here too. Did they tell you they were coming?”
I run a brush through my wet hair, then slip into the closet to pick out an outfit. Cut-off jean shorts and a loose-fitting plain white V-neck T-shirt. And despite Aleck’s disapproval of wearing shoes with no socks, I slip my bare feet into my Chuck Taylors.
