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“Yes, you did,” my niece repeats her mom, suddenly standing right next to me. She’s always sneaky like that.
“Madalyn! Go play with your brother,” my sister shouts. Nova waits for her child to disappear down the hall and then turns back to me.
Mom leans into the mirror and applies a few swipes of mascara. “So, you gonna go for a ride on that pony after the gala, or what?” she asks, as casual as can be.
My eyes bug out of my head. “Oh my god. It’s not like that. He’s not like that.”
“Is he not into women?”
Oh, he is.“He’s a…he’s a virgin, actually. At least that’s the rumor around town.” My friend, Katrina, told me as much a few months back, and I couldn’t believe it.
Harry’s not like any other virgin I’ve ever met, and if it’s true, it’s certainly not for the lack of options. Women are lining up all around town to spread their thighs for the hot football god.
My little sister’s jaw drops open.I know, I know. Unbelievable.
But I plow forward with my excuses, not letting her get a word in. “On top of that, he’s too young for me.Andhe’s a professional athlete. Meaning that there are thirsty women throwing their nasty panties at him all day long. The last thing I want is to be competing for some guy’s attention. I don’t have the time or the energy for that.”
Out of nowhere, my grandmother is next to me, showering me in even more perfume. I cough, waving the fragrance away from my face. “Thanks, Granny. I think that’s enough, though.”
With a sly grin, she slinks away again.
“Are you listening to yourself?” my sister screeches, carrying on with the conversation. “The man is an athlete, so I’m guessing his body is built like a stallion.”
“And he’s a virgin,” Mom adds. “Meaning, he’s not a walking talking bag of STDs. Basically, he’s a unicorn among men.”
“To top it off, he isclearlyinto you, and you’re into him,” Nova points out. “What exactly is the issue here?”
“Grandma, what’s a virgin?” Madalyn suddenly appears once more, tugging on my mother’s sleeve.
Mom immediately opens her mouth to explain. “Well, darling—”
Nova slaps a hand over our inappropriate mother’s mouth. “Girl! Get back outside with your brother!” she yells at her daughter then turns her fiery gaze back on me. “I’m waiting…”
I wave her off. “Tonight’s not about that. Tonight is about me not barfing as Luke parades his new Barbie doll all over the gala venue. I made that clear to Harry. He knows where things stand between us.”
“Luke?! Bleh,” my sister groans, sticking her tongue out.
“Do you still have feelings for Luke?” Mom looks more than a little worried. Let’s just say my family’s not Team Luke after I gave up my dream career and home in New York just to get some space from him.
“No. Hell no,” I declare firmly. I’m so disgusted with myself for the way I let him drag my heart around under his fancy dress shoe all those years. No way do I have any residual feelings for that man. “After the way Luke traumatized me, he’s the last man I want. Hell, he’s still costing me in therapy bills. I’m just glad I don’t have to see his emotionally abusive face on a daily basis anymore.”
I never did get a straight answer from my therapist about whether I did the right thing or not. But she didn’t hesitate to shoot me ahave fun!text first thing this morning. So, I guess that’s her way of advising me not to back out.
And side-note; I think it was wholly inappropriate for her to add an eggplant emoji to her text message. But that’s a topic for my next therapy session.
My doorbell rings loudly, and my tummy squeezes.
“I’ll get it,” my brother-in-law, Charlie, yells from the front room.
Now, all of a sudden, I’m second-guessing my dress. And wondering if I should have straightened my hair instead of going with my curls. And is my red lipstick too much?
On top of all my other insecurities, I can’t help but worry that I’m making a mistake, going to this event with Harry. I’m questioning everything.
I never get like this. I’m usually sure of my decisions. But when it comes to Harry…why is everything so different when it comes to Harry?
My sister hands me a tiny mirror, so I can check out her handiwork as she steps back. “Luke is irrelevant. You’re onto bigger and better things now.”
“Right.”
