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“You know, Ethan has been such a good friend to me while I’m figuring things out,” I say.
George tilts his head. “What sorts of things, dear?”
I put my hands together. “Well, I feel I can tell you guys, you’re so kind and open-minded. It’s just that… I might like women.”
Boom.
Ethan stiffens. Trudy and George nod politely.
Trudy puts a hand on my arm. “Oh, honey, it’s so good that in this day and age people can be who they truly are.”
Ethan tightens his arm around me. “Trudy, George, we’re going to get some punch. Be right back, okay?”
He directs me away and as soon as we’re out of their earshot, gets in my face, as I thought he might. “What’s this about your beinggay?” he asks, his wrinkled brow so cute under his perfect hair.
Dammit.
“It’s hard to explain. Ya know.”
He hands me a paper cup of punch, some horrible pink liquid. “You’re an odd one, Ava Sterling.”
I smile and shrug. “Well, like Trudy says, how fortunate is it that we can be ourselves these days.”
I beam at his confused face.
Two down.
One to go.
* * *
40
AVA
The front door slams.
“Ava? Ava, are you home?”
I’m home. Oh yeah. And I’m ready.
“Be right there, Jasper,” I call, strolling out of my room to greet him.
I’m home from work before him, like always, because I go in earlier than he does. It’s like we’re on two different shifts. By the time he gets home, I’m already here, unless I have plans to go out, which is not often.
I rarely stay late at the magazine because if I have work to do, I just do it from home. I can only stand so much time in cube-ville, with coworkers constantly stopping by to gossip. In fact, at the moment, I am working up what I think will be a great column since our anniversary issue, the one that includes my first O story, doesn’t publish for another couple weeks. I’ll get back to it soon as I finish my business with Jasper.
“Hey, Jas,” I say, basically ignoring him while I scroll through the news on my phone.
He grumbles, then pulls a cold beer from the fridge, opens it, and takes a swig. “Av, what did you say to the interns today?”
We’re on our way.
I glance up and scratch my head, trying but failing to ignore the piercing blue eyes behind his heavy black glasses. “What interns?” I ask, plastering my face with bewilderment before turning back to the news.
He sighs loudly, rubbing the back of his neck like a headache is circling.
Which is pretty much the plan.
