Page 44 of September
“Yeah, you.” Molly laughed a little and added, “She likes you and wanted to see if I was the competition.”
“You really think so? Because I’m not sure, and I’m totally crushing on her right now.”
“You are? That’s great,” Molly said. “You haven’t been even remotely interested in anyone since that ex-girlfriend of yours just up and left. You’re over that, right?”
“I’m very over that, even though I didn’t think I would be at first. It was just hard to understand why she’d suddenly think it wasn’t working, and she wasn’t at all willing to stay and talk after she dumped me. It was like it was totally over for her, and she didn’t want to hear my side of the story or fight for us at all.”
“Maybe she thought you’d convince her to stay.”
“How could I? She had most of her stuff packed and in her car already. She had a place to stay lined up, too. She’d clearly been planning it for a while and hadn’t even bothered to clue me in that she was unhappy. That was the hardest part for me: not that I loved her and missed her like crazy at first, but that she was just done with me. I had some self-esteem issues after that, and it didn’t take long at all forherto move on. I could see that all over social media, and that hurt, too, but I think it was because it felt like she had a head start, and I had no idea. She’d probably been processing our breakup for months, while I was still fully in our committed relationship. She found someone pretty much right away, but I was still stuck on the fact that I hadn’t known. I just felt behind and like an idiot because I knew things weren’t perfect, but I didn’t suspect she’d up and leave.”
“You’re better off for it,” Molly said.
“I know. And I’m glad that we never bought anything together.”
“Carly.”
“Well, I meant property or something that we would’ve had to split up or argue over. She didn’t really want Carly, and Carly’s not property to me.”
“She’s the cutest, and I need a visit, with puppy kisses included.”
“You usually request to hang out with my dog when you’re not feeling so great,” she pointed out. “So, what happened?”
“Nothing. I walked into the parking garage, preparing to head home, but I happened to be there at the exact moment Finley and India were leaving, so I had to see them kiss at India’s car.”
“I’m sorry, Molls.”
“They keep it pretty PG at the office, but I guess that doesn’t apply in the parking garage. India kind of went all-in there, and her hands were under Finley’s shirt, so now I have to live with that image in my head for the rest of my life. Finley, thankfully, pulled away after a few seconds, but I’ve been left thinking about how that kiss probably led to them doing something else that night because it was more than clear what India wanted in those big brown eyes of hers.”
“Maybe you should take some time off or something; go to a beach or do one of those lesbian cruises.”
“Can you honestly picturemeon a lesbian cruise? I have a massive crush on a woman, and I hardly talk to her unless it’s about work stuff. If I’m on a ship for a week, I won’t even work up the courage to talk to one person in that time.”
“That’s what the events and drinks are for. Drinks loosen you up. Events give you excuses to talk. You can at least get a break from seeing Finley and India at the office all the time.”
“Since we both know I’m not going on a lesbian cruise anytime soon, let’s get back to you,” Molly replied. “You’re crushing on Gwen, the hot dog walker. Wait. That sounded weird. She doesn’t walk hot dogs.”
“Sheishot, though, isn’t she?” Juliet asked before taking another sip.
“Gorgeous. She’s a little older than you, right?”
“Thirty-two. Not a big age difference. I’m almost twenty-eight. So, four years, basically.”
“That’s about the same for Finley and me. I’m turning thirty in a few months, and she won’t turn thirty-five until next August.”
“But you and Finley aren’t together, Molls.”
“Neither are you and Gwen, Jules. One of you would have to ask the other out for you to be doing anything more than flirting. At least, your crush is single.”
“Yeah,” Juliet replied and pulled open the office door, letting Molly walk inside before her. “And I’ll get to see her soon because I have another trip planned, and she’s watching Carly.”
“Not to take away your chances of seeing Gwen, but you knowIcan always watch Carly for you, right?”
“I know, but I can’t ask you to do that for every trip. I mean, what would I do when you inevitably go on that lesbian cruise and meet the love of your life at bingo? Do they have bingo on lesbian cruises?”
They laughed as they entered the elevator and were still talking about how shy Molly could meet a woman during the swim aerobics class or at a casino. Maybe they’d meet when Molly went down a water slide and landed in the woman’s lap at the bottom. Neither had ever been on a lesbian cruise, so they had to make things up a bit, but it was pretty entertaining.
“Juliet, can I talk to you for a minute?” her boss asked the moment Juliet sat back down at her desk.
