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Barrett:I did. I’m hip. I’m all down with the lingo these days.
Me: I don’t think saying you’re down with the lingo these days qualifies as being hip but I’ll give you points for effort.
Barrett:As long as those points can get tallied for tonight, I’m ok with it.
Me:Definitely.
Barrett:I miss you.
And now I’m crying. In the middle of the coffee shop. Because I miss him, too. I look up at Lauren who’s watching me closely. She reaches into her purse and hands over a tissue. I gratefully take it and laugh lightly before replying.
Me:Me too. Tonight?
Barrett:Tonight xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Barrett:That’s me raining kisses on you, too. Even your special place ;)
Me:I’ll prep.
Barrett:Much appreciated, madam.
Me:Did you get the cut-up vaginas? ;)
Barrett:Yup — funny thing. They were next to the condoms.
I snort out a laugh. And wipe my nose with a napkin.
Me:LOL I love you.
Barrett: Love you too, don’t ever forget it.
Me:Never ever.
Barrett’s reply is a bunch of kissy-face emojis and a series of what I think is supposed to be several that turned dirty in his mind, but I can’t be sure. Either way, his text is all it takes to bring me out of my funk. I’d talk to him about going away, and maybe I will pull on my big-girl panties and talk to him about the woo. As much as I feel like I’m missing out, I know I’ve been clearly neglecting him in that area too. But it ends. Tonight. I hope. Man do I ever hope.
“By the smile on your face and the blush in your cheeks, I take it Stella’s getting her groove back?” Lauren says with a smile that matches my own.
“Oh yeah, as long as the stars all align just right.”
“Oh, come on. You’re his lobster,” she says, smiling and hooking her fingers together. We really need to lay off theFriendstalk.
“Ha! I suppose you could be right about that.”
“Of course I’m right.”
I hope she is, too.
Chapter Six
Barrett
When I walked into Costco this afternoon, I honestly had no intentions of buying a year’s supply of condoms. But a guy doesn’t buy just three condoms at Costco. He buys a box large enough to supply the football team. And as much as I have no desire to actually have that layer between me and Tess, I know I’ll need it. Which is fucking embarrassing. But it’s the truth. Just thinking of her this afternoon is getting me hard. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hard up for sex with Tess in my entire life. Even after the kids were born and we were reduced to that damn six-week ban, we still made good on our time together. I would diddle her; she would take care of me. We made it work. But now. Well, two months is a long damn time to go without.
“I’m home!” I yell into the quiet house. The fact that there were no vehicles in the driveway when I pulled in tells me that the only ones to greet me will be of the four-legged variety, which is weird that I was yelling that to them, but I’m not going to question myself. The sound of dogs running on the hardwood floor makes me smile. I have no doubt our two guard dogs were sleeping peacefully on either our bed or the sectional in the sunken living room — Tess’s favorite part of the house because she wanted a one ever since she was little. They both come traipsing into the kitchen, begging for my attention immediately. I drop to my knees and allow them to shower me with affection before I open the back door and let them out to relieve themselves. They bound down the stairs off the deck after running through the door, Flash getting distracted immediately by a bright red leaf that blows passed him, before he apparently remembers his initial reason for being outside in the chilly autumn temperatures of Michigan.
I know Grady won’t be home until after his game tonight, and I have no doubt that Maggie will only be home for a few moments after volleyball practice before she heads out to the game, hopefully not changing into her Friday shirt that almost caused me to have a heart attack last night. Tess will be home any minute with Harper, who goes to the studio with her after school.
It’s become a tradition since Cole played football that our group of friends each take turns hosting our families after the games. Whether we are celebrating another win or licking our wounds from a loss, we’ve come to really enjoy having time together postgame. Not to mention the ton of food that our teenagers usually end up stopping by for at some point. Sometimes, we’ll pull out games like Catch Phrase or Cards Against Humanity, depending on our mood for the evening. It’s like our version of tailgating, only it’s after the game.
