“It’s a girl!”
“Oh Sierra, congratulations! I’m so happy for you.” I sprang from my chair and threw my arms around my best friend’s neck. “Yeah pink, Sier, this is soooo exciting!” Happy news put my stupid Chase bullshit on the back burner.
“Dodd was a little pissed I wanted to find out, but hell, now that I know I’m not regretting my decision for one second.” She gave her little bump a rub.
“Oh, good! Because this aunt is going to spoil her princess to pieces.” I raised my margarita in the air. Sierra followed suit and picked up the seltzer-filled wine glass I had waiting for her.
“To girls!” With matching perma-grins, we both took a sip.
“So it’s pretty obvious I interrupted pissed-off Lili. What’s going on? Insurance company deny your request for one of your gorked patients to get therapeutic mani-pedis at rehab?”
“There’s something seriously wrong with you.”
“I’m just kidding, you know I think it’s awesome what you do and how you fight for your patients.”
“Let’s not talk about me. I want to talk about your shower. My baby girl Pinterest page is overflowing ... I’ve been pinning since the day you peed on the stick.”
“Pinterest-freak, what if it was a boy?”
“It’s not my fault you’re Internet-challenged. Don’t worry. I have a boy one too ... we’ll save it for next time. Here, let me show you the app on my phone.” I grinned and reached for my phone. My irritation resurfaced when I remembered why I buried it at the bottom of my bag.
“What, where’s your phone?” She reacted to my not-so-subtle eye roll.
“Rotting in the bottom of my bag.” I fumbled around, eventually locating it and hoping not to find any more texts when I powered it up.
“What’s going on?”
“He texted me.” I shook my head and hesitated, uncrossing then crossing my legs. Just talking about him had me squirming in my seat. Damn my body.
“And ... what did he say?”
“Oh, he thinks we need to talk. Make sure I didn’t get the wrong idea, even though he had all week, but avoided me like the plague instead.” Sierra’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, and let’s not forget the best part. He was worried I might be getting plastered and offered to make sure I got home safely.”
“He wanted to come get you?”
“No. Send a car.”
“So I guess we’re going with he’s a big dick, huh?”
“Yeah … guess so,” I mumbled, taking a large sip of my margarita.
“Well, that was definitely not convincing ... you want to see him, don’t you!”
“Give me a good reason I should want to see him. He kisses me and then pretends it didn’t happen. No, I’m pissed. Pissed at him for being such a jackass, but even more pissed at myself for letting it get to this point. What was I thinking?” Saying the words out loud just refueled my anger. I sipped from my glass, but instead of being soothing, it constricted my chest and added to the burn.
An hour later, Rosa’s filled up with its usual Friday night crowd. The rest of our girls crew filed in and helped polish off a table full of delicious Mexican appetizers. I lost count somewhere after the sixth pitcher of margaritas. Not that I participated in drinking any of them. It seemed Dr. Jack Ass not only set my thong on fire but also gave me raging reflux to boot. So, I joined Sierra with a matching wine glass instead.
Most of the girls from work were single and mingling at the bar when Guy strolled in.
“Hey doll. What are we drinking?” He grinned and bent down to plant a friendly kiss on the top of my head.
“Margaritas seem to be the crowd favorite. Guy, you remember my friend, Sierra?”
“Of course, great seeing you again. I must say, pregnancy agrees with you, you look awesome.”
A subtle blush crossed Sierra’s cheeks at his suave words. Sierra didn’t blush. Ever. The power of Guy’s charm was endless.
“How was your work dinner?” Relief rushed over me that he showed up alone.
“Boring as shit. Weird too. Usually it’s just a pharmaceutical rep or two giving their spiel trying to sell their product, but the damn CEO of the company was there, totally kissing Colton’s ass. It’s a fucking clamp. Looks just like one of the fifty we already use, but I thought the guy was going to suck Colton off when he said he would give it a try ... crazy ... but who am I to pass up a free steak at Capitol Grill?” Residents lived for free meals.
Sierra watched me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat again at Guy’s mention of Chase. It didn’t help he used the words suck off and Colton in the same sentence. Then Sierra did what she does.