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Friendship.
Camaraderie.
Hell, a fun group of women who like to sit around, drink wine, and talk about dirty books in a bookstore with more than enough reading material.
Best of all, they don’t care about what kinds of books I read, the ones I won’t touch, or …how I look.
That last piece has been a blessing.
It’s not always easy finding friends who can look past the slightly odd shape of my nose and the scar that tears its way from my upper lip to my left nostril.
Hell, not even my husband can seem to do that.
So, yeah, it’s been nice to be around people who see me formeand not my birth deformity.
Truth be told, it’s been eighteen years since the last time I felt like I was really seen for who I am. That was back when my best childhood friend, London, was still around.
There are times when I still can’t believe his parents forced him to move to Colorado. But that’s the way life goes, right?
People move on.
I walk over to the front door and flip the switch on the open sign. It goes dark just as the door lets out a shrill ding, announcing a newcomer.
Vivian waltzes in with a brown paper bag in her arms and a smile on her face. Her bleach blond hair is up in a messy high ponytail and she’s clad in bright pink yoga pants, paired with a black crop top that shows off her ample cleavage and midriff.
I’d be jealous of her annoyingly perky body if I didn’t know the woman it was actually attached to. I’ll keep my average weight and height, thank you very much.
“Hey, Flower,” she says with a quick wave of her free hand. Vivian is the only one who thinks calling meFlowermakes more sense thanLily.
“Hey, Viv. We’re just about to get started,” I say, jabbing my left index finger toward the back of the store. “Was it your week to bring the wine?”
“Yup.” She nods and glances into the bag like she’s surprised it’s still in there.
“Nice.”
Vivian might always be late, but her taste in wine is impeccable. Plus, as one of Duluth’s most sought-after interior designers, she has the budget to afford the good stuff.
“Sorry I’m late. I was sucking Jordan off before he left for Tahoe and the man has stamina. But I had to leave him with an impression, if you know what I mean.” She winks at me and wipes at the corner of her mouth with the tip of her middle finger like she’s cleaning up whatever he left behind.
My face heats and I suck in a quick breath.
With Vivian, you never know if she’s serious or just saying something for shock value. However, the way her hair is slightly disheveled leaves me envisioning her boyfriend’s hands groping at it as he thrusts...
Fuck me.
I press a knuckle to my right eye socket.
She chuckles and continues through the store without elaborating further—thank god.
It’s been two months since Seth and I had sex and it’s starting to do weird things to my brain.
Shaking it off, I walk back to the alcove to find Vivian in my seat. Anna locks eyes with me and slowly raises hers to the ceiling like she’s praying to the gods to save her.
Instead of fighting it, I grab the vacant fold-out chair and pull it closer to the coffee table between us.
“I have glasses, ladies,” Tasia announces as she enters from the backroom with four wine glasses poking through her splayed fingers.
Other than talking about dirty books and the book boyfriends we’d love to bang, drinking wine and chilling with these ladies is a highlight for all of us. There’s no judgment and no shame. Only fits of giggles and the occasional drunk butt dial.
