Jessie's voice was muffled by the blankets but not enough for Grace to block out the lecture she knew was coming.
"Look, Grace, I know you're upset about your bi-guy, but you need to get over it. You've been moping for nearly a week. You fucked the guy. So what? He wasn't the first and he won't be the last." Jessie continued packing a bag for Grace.
Grace poked her head out of the blankets, "He was my first one-night stand and he will most certainly be the last!" she shot back.
Grace was still disappointed in herself for being so . . . easy. She still couldn't figure out how she'd gone from dinner with a guy she'd just met to the ho on the hood of his car. And if she were to be honest, she was a little bit heartbroken over what she'd done with Jack. It was the one time she'd totally let herself go and look how it'd turned out. She had a ginormous carbohydrate binge inducing crush on a guy she'd only spent a few hours with. He was out there doing his thing and she was a mess. Well she didn't actually know what he was doing. They hadn't even exchanged phone numbers. Not that she would have a reason to call him. What would she even say, ‘Excuse me, Jack. I just wanted you to know that you gave me the best orgasm of my life and I think about you all the time.' That didn't sound desperate at all, did it?
"I know you really liked the guy, and I have to admit that he must be spec-fucking-tacular if you – the queen of self-possession¬ are hung up on him after only one date. The best thing to do now is get out and get circulating again. Find someone new to date. You're fucking gorgeous for chrissake! If you wanted, you could have the entire straight male student body and some of the females panting at your heels!"
This was an old argument. Grace knew she wasn't unattractive with her lengthy mahogany waves, deep blue eyes, and hourglass figure. She was confident in her allure as a woman by now, but would that pay off her school loans or put food on the table? No, it wouldn't. Not unless she became a stripper and that would only last as long as her looks held out. She'd never put any stock in her appearance. That would all fade one day. Beauty was a useless commodity in her mind. Grace could find someone new to date but she didn't want to yet. It was ridiculous because she and Jack had never and would never date, but she didn't want a rebound boyfriend. If she hooked up with somebody right now it would only be a distraction for her until she got over her unreasonable fixation on Jack. The guy she spent one evening with and couldn't forget.
"Let's get you up and moving now," Jessie insisted again. "I refuse to leave without you and you know how hard I worked for this trip. I won't get a refund either, it's too late. How do you think your sweet, loving parents will feel when they find out you didn't go? They'll be so disappointed if you stay home." Jessie broke out the big guns.
Jessie had scraped and saved her tips from waiting tables at a local pub to pay for this trip. Grace's parents had paid for her portion of the trip as a Christmas gift. Damn. She couldn't stay home and waste all that money. It could have gone to better use at home. Her parents believed she spent too much time on her studies. They were overjoyed to see her with a roommate who was a good student and made time for a social life. She had to go.
Grace threw off the covers and stomped into the bathroom. Jessie cheered and did a victory lap. It was a very short victory lap in the tiny room that ended with Jessie jumping on her bed like a trampoline.
Grace shut the bathroom door and leaned over the counter to stare at her reflection. She was in a sorry state with her hair in a crooked bun and dark circles forming under her eyes from lack of sleep over the last week. This behavior was unacceptable. She was not this girl who mooned over love lost. Wait . . . love? Where had that come from? She smothered that thought immediately. She wasn't the girl who believed in love at first sight . . . or first one-night stands either.
Grace resolved to get her head on straight after a week of moping and she jumped in the shower and began her beauty routine. This trip was just what she needed. They were going to have a great time.
****
Grace was miserable. They arrived at the lodge late because their flight was delayed, so they hadn't made it to the slopes that day. A group of Jessie's friends, including Jessie's boyfriend, Dave, were along for the trip as well. She learned after they checked in that Dave's best friend broke his leg in a motorcycle accident the week before and had to cancel. Naturally, Jessie decided to stay in Dave's room with him instead of bunking with Grace. So she had a room all to herself. That didn't mean she was going to get any peace though. After a long day of traveling, Grace wanted to turn in early, but Jessie wasn't having it.
Grace was sitting in the center of a semi-circular, high backed leather booth in one of the bars on the resort. She was surrounded by Jessie and Dave on one side, and Tina and Tavon on the other. Luke was on the end looking just as unhappy as Grace was at the moment. They'd just settled in and already the couples were canoodling and whispering to each other. Grace did her best not to wonder what Jack would think of this place. She tried not to remember how he'd held her hand and drew circles on her palm when she sat in a booth across from him. Would he do that now if he were here? She put real effort into trying not to guess what kind of drink he would order. Would he like fruity and sweet, a beer, maybe wine, or something harder? She tried, but surrounded as she was by happy couples, it was difficult not to want someone of her own to snuggle up to. Unfortunately for her, Jack was the only person her fool mind wanted to cast in the part of leading man.
Grace turned her mind to checking out the dance floor and the patrons crowded around the bar nearest to them waiting for one of the bartenders to fetch drinks. The bar itself was high polished dark wood with a brass kick bar. A long mirror lined the wall behind the bar and reflected the faces of the people drinking and laughing. Crystal tumblers, wine glasses, and martini glasses were suspended from racks above the mirror. No cover charge or plastic red cups in this joint, no sir.
The place was hopping for so early in the evening, but what else is there to do at a ski resort but drink and dance after the slopes shut down for the evening. This bar was very upscale and Grace was glad she'd packed a few pretty dresses. Jeans wouldn't cut it in this crowd. A very attractive and quite buxom waitress in the same tiny black dress worn by all of the waitresses came to take their drink order. Grace ordered a diet cola. Before the waitress could hurry away Jessie whispered something to her. The waitress peeked over at Grace and smiled.
"What the hell was that about?" Grace asked her meddlesome roommate.
"It was about you loosening the fuck up and having some fun. That's all." She smiled sweetly at Grace before returning her attention to Dave. The woman was a pain in the ass.
By the time the waitress returned both of the happy couples had gone for a spin on the floor, leaving her and Luke to stare at the assortment of drinks and shots she lined up on the table. Luke looked at her and shrugged. He pushed a drink and shot her way before taking his own. He raised his shot in the air for a toast.
"To better luck in love. Or a harder heart. One of the two," he said with a wry smile.
Well shit. She could absolutely drink to that. She raised her glass and said, "To better luck in love," and tossed back the shot. It burned all the way down. The bracing heat warmed her from the inside out. She coughed and sputtered a bit, but already she was feeling less tense. Grace wasn't much of a drinker. That would be the only shot for her. She sipped at the pink drink in front of her and Luke moved around the booth so they didn't have to scream at each other. They'd hung out together before so Grace could tell he wasn't really himself.
"So . . . woman trouble, huh?" she asked.
Luke shook his head, "Not anymore. She's somebody else's trouble now."
Grace remembered then that Luke usually had a cute little redhead on his arm. His jaw tightened and he leaned back against the booth and stared up at the ceiling.
"You wanna talk about it?" she asked.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "There isn't much to talk about. I caught her cheating. That's that. I'm done with her. This trip was supposed to be a gift for her. We've been dating for a year." He swallowed hard. Grace's heart ached for the guy. He was clearly in pain. They were both there trying to forget someone.
"I fell for a guy after only a few hours. I let him fuck me on the hood of his car," she admitted. Luke looked at her wide-eyed.
"Oh wait, it gets better," she nodded. "Afterward he confessed that he's bi-sexual and not ready for monogamy."