Page 120 of Melted by a Man

“Youhaveto come,” Signe emphasized, holding her phone up in her hand, “Can I add you to the group chat?”

Nicole perked up, stepping closer to us, “Yeah.” Then she took Signe’s phone and added her number.

“I’m glad to finally have you join the sisterhood,” Signe stood from her desk, towering over Nicole and me, as she gently tapped both of Nicole’s shoulders with the corner of her cellphone, “I dub thee, a girl’s girl.” Nicole grinned at Signe’s theatrics, standing a little taller.

I snorted, “I haven’t been knighted yet.”

“Oh fu—I mean, really?” Signe shook her head, before turning to me to tap both of my shoulders with her phone, “There. A girl’s girl. Now that I think about it, I think Violet is the only one I officially knighted into the circle. I was super high the first night she came, but anyway, I should knight Jamie and Mary, too.”

Nicole and I laughed before she shouldered her bag and got ready to walk to her office, “Send me the details.” Nicole lifted her phone before waving goodbye with it and marching off.

I turned back to Signe, “Remind me what we’re doing again?”

“Watching the Pride and Prejudice movie,” Signe smiled proudly, “Everyone’s coming over to my tiny apartment. Boys aren’t allowed. Pajamas are mandatory. Edibles are optional, though.”

I smiled before I asked, “What about trauma dumping?”

Signe didn’t perk up at that, instead, her smile turned softer, more vulnerable, “Encouraged.”

* * *

“Where did you get this?”Violet asked, tucking her fingers underneath the sleeve of my cream-colored matching set. I didn’t really have pajamas. I mostly slept in oversized shirts and my underwear. I hoped loungewear was an acceptable substitution for the evening.

I pulled up the website I ordered the set from a while back. The brand was known for not having any paper tags sewn into their clothing and using materials that soothed sensory-sensitive people.

Like me.

“Oh, they make kid’s clothes, too,” Violet immediately pulled her phone out of her pocket to look at the website herself.

“Ahem!” Signe cleared her throat dramatically. She was wearing basketball shorts and an oversized t-shirt of her own, so I assumed my clothing met the standards of girls’ night, “Before we get started, does everyone have their snacks?”

“Yup!” Jamie and Mary both lifted their bowls, Mary with pretzels, and Jamie with Oreos. Violet lifted her package of gummy bears while scrolling on her phone, and Nicole lifted her bottle of red wine. We were all sitting in a semi-circle on various blow-up mattresses, blankets, and pillows we all brought. In front of us was Signe’s monitor on the far wall. Her studio apartment was one decently sized room, with her bed on the opposite wall of her kitchen. But it was homey.

“Excellent,” Signe nodded, “Now, has everyone who wants a gummy taken one?”

There was a knock on the front door, making us all perk up as a small blonde woman with freckles let herself into the space, “Hellur!”

“Eloise!” Signe sang, awkwardly hopping around all the bedding to get to her friend, “Hi!” Eloise stepped to the side of the door, dropping a bag of what looked like groceries, before pulling out a paperback.

Once the entryway was free, Taylor Desmond cautiously stepped through the threshold right as Eloise was telling Signe, “I just wanted to drop these off and have you sign this.”

My heart jumped into my throat.

For no other reason than because I knew Taylor was Leo’s friend.

Not mine.

“Oh, of course! Everyone, this is my girl, Eloise!” Signe dragged her through the room, “I invited her tonight, but I guess she has plans.” Signe rolled her eyes while Taylor chuckled, bracing a hip against Signe’s countertop and crossing their arms, “I haven’t met you, yet.” Signe added, holding out a hand to them.

“Taylor,” they nodded with a grin, “They/them.”

“Signe, she/her.”

“That’s a gorgeous fucking name.” Taylor’s brows jumped up. Signe milled around the kitchen in search of a pen to sign Eloise’s copy of her book. I still hadn’t read it, mostly because I had no desire to read a book about all the ways Signe imagined doing a coworker of ours, but hey, I loved that she was finding success in her field.

“This feels illegal,” Violet stood up to approach Taylor, who did a double take and grinned when they saw her, “It’s like seeing my teacher at the grocery store.”

“What the hell? How are you? How’s little Gracie?” Taylor joked, wrapping Violet in a hug. When Violet gave me her back so Taylor’s head rested over her shoulder, that’s when their eyebrows jumped.

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