Page 251 of Love in Riverbend
“And you’ve forgiven him?” Jill asks.
“Yes and no.”
“No?” Devan asks.
“I was hurt because he didn’t do anything after our one time.”
Devan wiggles four fingers.
Jill gasps.
“The first time,” I clarify. “We both went into sex declaring it wasn’t a big deal. No strings. I guess it was a big deal, but only to me. I thought he might think so too, but he didn’t. He stuck to our agreement. That wasn’t fair of me to be upset because he did what I said. In that way, he doesn’t need my forgiveness.”
“What’s changed?” Jill asks.
“Besides seven years…” My friends listen as I try to make sense out of what doesn’t make sense. Somehow after hearing Ricky’s explanation, I see things differently. Never in a million years would I have thought he felt undeserving of me. With the changes he’s made in his life over the past few years, his reasoning falls into place.
“Tell us about the partner dinner,” Devan says.
“I wasn’t going to go.” My eyes open wide. “Oh, Jill, you don’t know this part.”
“Why am I always the last to know?”
Devan presses her lips together. “Excuse me. Seven years late in learning, here.”
I jump in before my friends battle over who is told less. “Thursday night, Ricky and I went to dinner to prepare for our fake date on Friday. We had a good time.” I smile at Jill. “He isn’t boring.”
“How many languages does he speak?” Jill asks.
“One, to my knowledge.” I go on with my story. “At the end of the evening, I ask for his phone. He wanted my address. As I began to add my name, it came up?—”
“With a note,” Devan adds.
“Something like ‘great in bed’?” Jill asks.
I shake my head. “Marilyn J. Do not answer.”
“Oh,” Jill growls. “And you still went to the dinner with him?”
“I wasn’t going to. I was mad. Except, later that night, he showed up at my apartment with a pint of caramel ice cream.”
Both of my friends swoon.
“I still didn’t forgive him. I ate the ice cream in the bathtub with wine.” They both sigh. “Then the next day at work, I receive a handwritten letter from him, asking for forgiveness and telling me to forget the dinner.” I take a drink of my wine. “I was going to, but then Bryce came into my office.”
Jill’s nose wrinkles. “Ugh. Why?”
“He’s on the talent acquisition team and had to go to the dinner, and his current girlfriend wasn’t feeling well.”
“He asked you to go with him?” Jill’s tone goes up an octave.
Pressing my lips together, I nod. “And get this, it was his girlfriend’s idea. She said he should take me, because I wasn’t a threat.”
Both of their mouths open wide.
“Bitch,” Jill mutters under her breath.
“I decided I wanted to be there, with a better plus-one than Bryce.”
