Page 89 of Until Then

“Jeez, Glenda.” I close the door behind me and slip my shoes off. “At least get me a little drunk before you start making comments like that.”

She places a piece of cut cheese on a cracker and holds it aloft. “I don’t believe in mincing words.”

“Don’t we all know it.” Ella appears from the kitchen, greeting me with a glass of wine and a hug.

I take a gulp. “Bless you.”

She laughs. “I figure you need it. There’s no way we’re discussing the book today. Weallwant to hear about Derrick.”

“We never discuss the book,” my sister adds helpfully from her usual spot on the couch. “And try to keep it respectful, ladies. I don’t need all the dirty details about my sister’s sex life.”

“Or your future father-in-law slash potential brother-in-law’s,” Glenda adds with a pointed finger.

My stomach lurches.Is it too late to leave?

Via covers her face, head shaking. “Let’s just not, please.”

“Yes, please,” I agree readily as I drop onto the cushion beside her. My glass of wine is already half gone. “This whole situation is unusual as it is.”

It’s no surprise, though, that all of these ladies already know.

It’s why Derrick and I told Via and his kids as quickly as we could. Neither of us wanted them to hear it through the Parkerville gossip mill—a mill led by Glenda, no doubt.

“We can’t help it,” Tammy says, fixing a plate with a few slices of deli meat and cheeses. “We all love Derrick. He’s a good man. We want to see him?—”

“Get some young ass. If anyone needs it, he does.” Glendatips her glass in my direction, making me long to crawl beneath the table and die.

Sighing, Tammy shakes her head. In the corner, Cassandra pinches her brow.

“Happy, I was trying to say we want to see him happy,” Tammy corrects.

“And get some,” Glenda adds.

Head hung, I drop it into my hands. I’m desperate to flee outside to my waiting rental car, but I have a feeling these women would tackle me before I made it to the door.

“Really,” Ella says, sitting on my other side and giving my knee a pat, “we’re happy for you both.”

“How many abs does he have? I’ve heard eight, but I haven’t ever been able to get a good enough look to count them myself.”

I purse my lips and squint at Glenda. “Mmm. Yeah, eight.”

“Oh, sweet Jesus. What I would give to have a man like that over me. God, I just want to feel the weight of a man again, abs or not.” She closes her eyes, as if visualizing it. “Oh, yes, that’s what I need.” When she opens them again and finds us all staring, she says, “Close your mouths before you catch flies. I might be old, but my libido is alive and well. I had a voracious sex life in my day. Ever had a threesome? Highly recommend.”

I fall into a fit of laughter, unable to stop until tears fall from my eyes. This might be the most embarrassing night of my life, but it’s also the most entertaining. “Glenda, do you have a vibrator?”

“No. Never liked ’em. I prefer the real thing.”

I wag a finger at her. “There are so many to choose from these days. I think I know just what to get you. Actually…” I bounce a little on the couch cushion. “Maybe I’ll order a few so you can explore your options.”

With a toothy grin, Glenda claps. “If you’re buyin’, then honey, I’ll give you a review of each one.”

Beside me, my sister squeaks and says, “When did our book reviews turn into sex toy reviews?”

Ella wipes her fingers on her jeans. “To be fair, we never actually review the books.”

When we all dissolve into laughter, and the conversation thankfully moves away from Derrick and me, I can’t help but once again think about how much I love it here and how ready I am to leave my life in LA behind for good.

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