Page 42 of Stroked
“Amy, the woman told you plainly she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to. That seems pretty sure, not hesitant. It was her nice way of saying it ain’t gonna happen.” Lucy turned her bottle up, then waved to Jaz for another.
“Here ya go. You still good, babe?” Jaz asked as she pushed the beer to Luce.
“Yeah, thanks. So, Jaz, I hear you won’t be around much longer.”
Jaz grinned and looked at the bar before looking back at me. “Well, yeah, I’ll be starting clinicals soon and I can’t choose the schedule. But I may pick up a night here and there.”
Lucy beamed but tipped her head. “Jaz, you say that, but how do you plan to do all that and sleep?”
Jaz shrugged. “I dunno. I said maybe. It’ll be weird not being here.”
I chimed in. “Will you not need money? They don’t pay you for that, right?”
“Not exactly, it’s complicated. But I’ve been saving for a while. And don’t tell anyone, but I live with my sister, rent free.”
My brows pinched together. “You have a sister? Well, better than living with your parents. That’s awesome! I can’t believe you’re going to be a doctor.”
Lucy smacked my arm, giving me a wild side eye.
“I don’t mean because you can’t.But you’ve been here, with us, all this time. And going to school, too. I knew. I guess I just didn’t think about it. Butwe’ll be friends with a doctor. That’s crazy.”
Lucy smiled, pleased with my explanation.
Jaz grinned. “No offense here. Itiscrazy. I’ve been going through the motions so long it’s almost surreal that it’s all about to start really happening. But at least I’ll be close by, so I don’t have to move. And even if I can’t pick up shifts, I can come have a Blue Moon with you guys.”
She patted the bar before walking to the other end as another customer called for her.
I turned to Lucy. “Wow. A doctor. Do we call her doctor when she goes to clinicals or after she’s done with school?”
“Honestly, I have no clue. I’ll have Jason ask so we don’t have to.”
We both giggled, and a big arm wrapped around Luce’s shoulder and chest. “What are you two conspiring for me to do?” Jason asked as he leaned down to kiss Lucy through her blonde curls.
“Nothing. I’ll tell ya later. Few more minutes, I just got this beer. Then we can go.”
Lucy leaned her chin up and Jason gave her a long but closed-mouth kiss. Thank God. I don’t need to see more than that. Then he nodded to me and went behind the bar and spoke to Jaz.
“Back to you. I just want you to be careful.”
I put my bottle on the bar. “What? You’re the one who was all giddy when I said I liked someone, and you told me to talk to her, so I did.Nowyou want me to be careful?”
“I told you to talk to her to see if you two could see eye to eye. It just doesn’t sound like that’s what happened. She must have a unicorn between her legs or something for you to be acting like this.”
“Hey!”
“See!That! Right there! It’s like you’re…you’re…You’re inlustwith her!”
“Of course, I’m lusting over her, have you not listened toanythingI’ve said?” My pitch went up another notch.
Lucy put her bottle down and turned her body to me. “Yeah, and it doesn’t evensoundlike you. Which I’d be on board withifshe hadn’t told you she may never come out, and you clearly don’t think she’s serious. You can control a lot of things, but you can’t expect to control her. I’m just trying to be sure you don’t get in over your head. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I love you, bitch. But I’m a grown woman. I can handle myself.”
“Can you?”
“Of course!”
“Can you really? You threw a fucking tantrum when I moved out. You are so great at your business stuff but so ass backwards in your personal life.”
