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Apparently my happy face still needed some work.
“What gives, chica?” Layla asked. “Last time I saw you, your ass was on the back of a Harley perched behind perhaps the hottest man I’ve ever seen in the flesh.”
Gabby smirked, “I thought Layla was going to spontaneously ovulate.”
I rearranged my face and snagged a chip.
Layla narrowed her eyes at me. “Spill it, girlfriend.”
I leaned across the table and whispered, “I spent last night with Ryder.”
Gabby bounced in her seat, “Yes! Score one for the home team.” She and Layla high fived across the table.
“We didn’t score,” I corrected. “I mean, we got close to the end zone, but we didn’t actually cross the goal line.”
“This is gettinggood,” Gabby said. “I want de-tails.”
“I want to know why you don’t look happy about it,” Layla mused, crossing her arms on the table and staring me down.
I knew when I was beat, and I really needed my girls. So I dove in.
“Okay, first, he’s gorgeous,” I said. “Like work of art gorgeous. That man is beautifuleverywhere.” I paused to let the waitress drop off my drink and a fresh basket of chips. And to let that tidbit sink in.
“If you’re trying to explain why you don’t look happy, I’m not getting it,” Layla frowned.
“Soooooo jealous,” Gabby muttered, slathering a chip with guac and munching.
I knocked back a gulp of salty lime deliciousness and went on, “You know the men you read about, the ones you wish actually existed? The Ryder I was with last night was straight out of a novel. He was sweet and sexy. Asked for what he wanted in bed, made clear what he liked. And madesurethat he pleased me. Repeatedly. He just put it all out there, you know? Like you always hope a man will, but they never do? That’s what he gave me last night.”
“So, if the brother’s got it likethat, what happened this morning?” Layla guessed.
“Moving on to point number two,” I started and then stopped for another sip. “This morning, he fixed me breakfast, kissed me, and then said he’d done some thinking. He wants us to be friends. And I can’t even be pissed about it because he said all the right words. God, he was sosweetabout the whole thing.”
“He was into you last night and then changed his mind? What kind of man does that?” Gabby asked, pissed off lacing her voice.
Layla leaned back in her chair. “One who doesn’t want to get his heart broken and sees the woman standing in front of him who can do it.”
“That’s what he said,” I admitted, swiping a chip through the guac. “Told me when I’m ready to fall, to come back and he’ll catch me.”
My girls went quiet.
Gabby twisted the straw in her drink. “Okay, that’s pretty sweet.”
“I swear that man could get me pregnant, and he’s not even in the same room,” Layla said into her glass.
Gabby reached for my hand, “Look at this as a good thing. He knows you’re not ready. And I know you want to be, honey, but you’re just not there yet. Wherever he is, he’s giving you time to catch up.”
Layla dunked a chip, “I know his name’s worse than Voldemort, but you’ve built a lot of who you are now around who you thought Talon was ten years ago.”
“Would have been better if you’d never seen the bastard again,” Gabby said, squeezing my hand.
I had to agree with her assessment.
“And because I’ve known you since we were eighteen,” Layla went on, “I know this you is the grown up version of who you were before Edward and his shit show. But whether you meant to or not, you’ve kind of romanticized the whole Talon incident.” She smiled, softening her words.
“You’re the only woman I know who’d have a run in with an armed biker and then turn around and teach that shit in comparative literature,” Gabby grinned.
One thing I could say about my girls. They had my back. We’d been through some serious history, and no matter what, we didn’t leave each other hanging.
