Page 46 of Just Business

"I guess, maybe I don't like slow after all," I say.

Austin rumbles out a chuckle that I capture with my lips. It's been years since I've kissed anyone like this. I’ve only been on a few dates since Eric, and those usually ended with the perfunctory end-of-date kiss that left me feeling empty. This kiss fills me up in all the lonely corners of my heart, a small reminder of who I was before my life fell apart.

A slow, delicious heat rolls through me as he takes my lower lip in his mouth and sucks. Finally, he pulls away, looking thoroughly mussed from my hands tugging his hair.

“We probably need to stop.” He reaches down to adjust himself. “But I can’t promise I won’t be looking at that picture you took tonight after I take you home.”

I gasp, bursting out laughing. I’m sure all the movie watchers around us are annoyed at the noise coming from the back of his van. “You’d do that?”

“Correction. I’ve done that. Now I’ve got a new one.” Then he burritos me up in the blanket like a fleece chastity belt, leaving me wanting more but knowing damn well this is the smarter decision. “Now watch this movie. You’re so loud, and I’ve been trying to pay attention.”

I chuckle, wrangling free from the blankets, and playfully punch him on the bicep. Austin catches my wrist and braids our fingers together again. I have no clue what the movie is about, all I know is something big is happening. I just hope we’re ready for it.

I’m here early. I’m gonna grab a coffee while I wait. Do you want anything?

Josie

Order me an Americano. I’m running late. Sorry.

You’re good. Don’t apologize.

Josie and I have finally carved out a day to spend together and I’m so freaking excited to spend the day with my friend. Right as the barista calls out my name, she bursts through the door of the bookstore, looking even more frazzled than usual.

“I’m sorry I’m late. You know how I am.” She’s out of breath as she drops down beside me at the bistro table in the corner.

“You’ve been running on your own time zone for as long as I’ve known you. It’s fine.” I turn to face her, taking in her bloodshot eyes. “What’s going on, Jo?”

She rubs her eyes, her shoulder sagging. “I don’t even know. Abby spent the night at Samantha’s house last night."

I sit, waiting on her to continue while internally cringing. Samantha and Abby don’t have a good track record together. This new friend seems to be bad news.

"Samantha’s mom got up to get some water in the night and she heard voices. At first, she thought it was the TV, but as she got closer she realized the girls had snuck two boys into her room. Apparently, they came right through the fucking front door without a care in the world.” Josie drops her head onto the table with a soft thud.

“Holy shit,” I say under my breath. “What were they doing?” I’m not foolish enough to buy into the mentality that kids are worse these days. When I was in middle school, a lot of girls were probably doing the exact same things, but still, this is our Abby, and the thought of her growing up too quickly makes me feel sick.

“Samantha’s mom said they actually looked innocent. They were lying on her floor watching a movie. When she walked in, none of them had that just-jumped-apart guilty look on their faces. But what the hell? She's thirteen! My baby girl is trying to grow up way too soon.” Josie’s eyes well up, and I scoot my chair closer to hers. It’s rare for her to cry, but it seems like single parenthood is overwhelming her more than usual lately.

Josie is way too hard on herself, claiming she’s no different than her own mom, who had two children with no father to show for it. She’s wrong, though. Josie goes above and beyond to be both mother and father to her kids. She can shoot hoops with Jay and show Abby how to apply makeup or fix her hair with ease. She jumps in and learns as much as she can about whatever her kids take an interest in. I know those things don’t replace an actual father figure, but she works her ass off trying.

Abby’s the result of a one-night-stand with a stranger in college who Josie hasn’t seen since. She’s never even told me his name. She’s very vague about it, and I’ve always respected her privacy on that matter. But when she and Chad got together, he was really good to Abby—until Jay was born. His favoritism did not go unnoticed by anyone, including Abby. Honestly, she’d have been better off if Chad had also been a one-night-stand for all the destruction he left in his wake.

Suddenly, her entire demeanor shifts and she looks at me with mischief in her eye.

“Enough about me. How was the drive-in?”

I arch a suspicious eyebrow at her. “How’d you know I went? It was late when we got home. I figured I’d tell you about it today.”

A smug look crosses Josie’s face. “Well, Austin might’ve texted me early yesterday morning asking me for some romantic spots for a date around here. He said he had some ideas of his own, but he was trying to make a list.”

“Well,” I begin after allowing myself a moment to swoon, “we had a perfectly chaste evening enjoying a double feature.”

“Did you like the car chase scene?” Josie asks, expectantly.

Searching my brain, I try to remember that scene, but since it was a movie with cars in it surely saying yes is a safe bet. With my most convincing face, I nod confidently.

“You’re a dirty whore, Penelope Elaine. There is no car chase scene.” Josie throws her napkin across the table at me, laughing at my effort. “Spill it. Cause there’s no way in hell y’all watched that movie.”

“It really was much tamer than your dirty mind probably thinks. I mean, for one, we were in public. Basically, we kissed, and his hands might have wandered around a bit. I’ve said this already; this is new for both of us. We really are trying to take things slow.”

---