Page 47 of Reckless Chances
“There’s no one in this town who is on your radar?” Emma secretly wondered if Charlie and Jenni had ever hooked up. Other than Ethan, she couldn’t picture Jenni with any of the other locals she’s seen around town.
“Nah, not right now.” Jenni shrugged. “What about you? I heard that you and Charlie were getting close.”
“Of course, you did,” Emma rolled her eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear how many times we slept together and what positions we did and where.”
Jenni’s eyes grew wide. “You did sleep with him. We were wondering if the man had taken a chastity vow or something.”
“Really?” Emma’s mouth was getting sore from the salt and vinegar chips and she pushed the bowl away and sucked the salt from her fingers. “He’s a bartender. And you’re telling me he’s not a player?”
“Charlie?” Jenni shook her head. “I haven’t seen him with anyone since I’ve lived here – and from what I hear it’s been years since he’s had a girlfriend. Apparently, his ex cheated on him, she banged some Aussie dude in Charlie’s van.”
Emma knew firsthand how it felt to be cheated on, and it made sense that Charlie was gun shy in the love department. “I was engaged once.” She took a sip of her wine. She hadn’t planned on talking about this, but the wine had loosened up her lips. “He cheated on me.”
“No,” Jenni said.
“Yeah,” Emma sighed. “With my best friend.”
“NO.” Jenni practically shouted. “What a piece of shit.”
“A total turd.” Emma finished her glass of wine and went to pour another, but a lone drip fell from the bottle.
“Should we open another?” she asked.
Jenni nodded and as she laughed a tear slipped from her eye. “A turd? Do you ever swear?”
Emma laughed. “My ex used to call me Ned Flanders. He always wanted me to dirty talk in bed and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t muster the f word let alone any of the c words.”
“Like Chardonnay?” Jenni opened the fridge and held up a bottle.
Emma laughed. “Exactly.” She rested her chin on her knee. “Like, ooh, your chardonnay feels so good.” Emma didn’t know if Jenni could hear the slur she was trying to keep from her voice. Her crappy week was fading away into a bottle of Chardonnay and giggles with a new friend.
Jenni plopped back down onto the leather pouf beside Emma. She turned up the music and filled the glasses. “Or, fuck me with your giant throbbing chardonnay.”
Emma sipped the wine. “Fudge me,” Emma corrected Jenni.
This sent her into a fit of laughter. “Okay. Fudge me harder. Ram me with that Chardonnay.”
Emma laughed. “You manage to make that sound dirty.” She held up the glass. “This one is the best so far.”
Jenni reached for her glass but instead of grabbing it, hit it with her fingertips. The wine spilled all over the bridal magazine. “Shit.” She hopped up and ran to the kitchen, returning with a towel. “I mean shoot.”
“This is serious,” Emma pointed to the river of wine snaking away from the bridal magazine. “I might even go with shootskisitis.”
“You and your filthy mouth.” Jenni wiped up the wine with the towel and went to the kitchen to squeeze it over the sink.
“Let me help,” Emma followed Jenni into the kitchen and grabbed a roll of paper towels. When the two of them were finished sopping up the wine, Jenni held up the bottle, her eyes slightly crossed as she shook it to see how much was left.
“We might have to go out.” She poured the last of the bottle into their glasses.
Emma wondered if her eyes were as glazed as Jenni’s and realized that she didn’t care. Her hike with Serena had been amazing, and now she was bonding with Jenni over wine. “Screw you, Charlie.” She whispered.
“Whoa,” Jenni said.
“What?” Emma felt her cheeks burn. “I thought I whispered that.”
“Well, you didn’t.” Jenni giggled. “I’ll swear for you. Fuck you, Charlie.” She raised her glass in the air. Emma clinked her glass to Jenni’s. “You know, I swore at him when he broke up with me.”
“You did?” Jenni held her had to her chest like she was aghast.
