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"All your friends were having sex with your boyfriend," Riley asks, confused. Oh Jesus, someone needs to cut us off.
"No! All my friends were having sex. Plus, you don’t need a man to orgasm. I mean, who knows women better than women?”
Everyone dissolves into laughter. After discussing the pros and cons of penises versus vaginas, and the various toys and tricks we employ to get off, we all refill our wine glasses. I'm reasonably sure we've embarrassed poor Taylor more than necessary, but I can't help myself when I turn to Tyra and her and ask the night's real burning question.
"So, when is this happening?" I ask, motioning between them.
"Oh, thank god! I've wanted to ask so badly, I've nearly chewed a hole through my cheek from biting my tongue," Lily sighs in relief.
Taylor and Tyra blush simultaneously, but neither answers my question.
"Is it already happening?" Holly looks between them, causing more blushing to ensue. "Taylor! You think I'm holding out on you, and you’re dating a movie star and didn't tell me?"
"It's only been two dates," Taylor says in her defence. "This is different. I don't make you spill your guts out in front of Luke when he's right there, in the same room."
She makes a valid point. Holly and I both turn towards Tyra, who is, in fact, in the room. The other ladies go silent as Holly narrows her eyes at Tyra.
"What are your intentions towards my sister?"
"Holly!" Taylor shrieks, covering her face.
"What!? It's a valid question."
"Well," Tyra laughs, taking it all in stride. "I want to see Taylor some more while I'm in Toronto and see where it goes."
"Holly, leave her alone," I say, attempting to save Taylor any more embarrassment. I have two older brothers. I feel her pain.
"Fine. I'll leave her alone, but now you're on the hot seat, Avery." Me and my big fucking mouth. I should have let Taylor roast.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I feign ignorance.
"Bullshit," Holly yells. "You and Ryan have been dancing around each other since he arrived. What's going on? Are you two getting back together?" she asks before muttering, "I still don't know why you even broke up in the first place."
"What? When did this happen?" Lily and Riley ask in unison. Oh Jesus, here we go.
Out of nowhere, Holly whips out our high school yearbook. Where the fuck did that come from? She opens it up and starts passing it around, pointing out all the pictures of Ryan and me from high school. Prom, homecoming, hockey practices, and dozens of images of us in love.
Holly launches into how Ryan and I got together, fell in love, and were "the most adorable couple in the world." She tells everyone about the times I would lie to my parents about sleeping over at her house, only to sneak away with Ryan. I feel like she reveals our entire story and, in doing so, makes every person in the room fall a little in love with us.
"And then, he proposed to her," Holly says as a matter of fact. "And Avery ran away. To this day, it's one of life's greatest riddles." Okay, that's an exaggeration, but Holly loves a good hyperbole.
"Did he cheat on you?" Riley asks like that's the most obvious and only reason a girl would bail on a man she loved.
"No! No, Ryan would never," I say.
"I don't get it," Lily adds. "What about when Ryan was in LA? Tyra, did you and Ryan ever, you know—" She waggles her eyebrows.
"No," Tyra laughs awkwardly. "Ryan and I were a show couple. I was maintaining appearances, and he wasn't interested in dating anyone. He was great arm candy and hated the nickname "Monk," so he would take me to team functions to get his teammates off his back about women. It was mutually beneficial."
"Wait a second," Taylor stops and squints her eyes like she's thinking too hard, and it's giving her a headache. "His nickname is Monk? Does that mean he likeneverwent out with other women? Like ever?"
I don't want to know. I don't want Tyra to answer that question, but at the same time, I want to know so badly that I might shake her. I'm insanely curious. The thought of another woman with Ryan makes me nauseous. It's stupid and irrational, and I have absolutely no right to feel that way, but I do.
"I don't think so," Tyra says, looking directly at me. "Ryan talked a lot about you, Avery. I don't think he's ever stopped loving you."
Everyone turns their attention back to me. They're looking at me like I'm insane, and right now, I feel a little crazy.
"Have you been with anyone since Ryan?" Tyra asks. That's a loaded question. It's on everyone's mind, and I am not eager to answer because it makes no sense. Why would I break up with a guy and tell him I wanted to explore everything the world had to offer, including other people, and then do the exact opposite? This line of questioning is hitting a little too close to home, and I don't want to discuss it. I don't want to talk about all my issues right now.
