Page 8 of You Wish
Not that she’d change even a moment of it. But on days like today, hanging with two friends who had a childhood bond, she wondered what it would be like to have lifetime ride-or-dies. But she’d been too busy taking care of her brother, not to mention her mom—who shut down when things became dire. And with spina bifida dire was a daily occurrence.
She’d met her friends in college and for the first time her world had opened a little. She had friends and a life of her own—no matter how small it was. So when she met Jake she kept him a secret because she’d already felt so guilty for going to college while Conner had been sick. She didn’t want to be judged. Looking back, she wished she’d confided in her friends so she’d have someone to go through the pain of the breakup.
“Question two: When it comes to Jake, was it this big or you’d need a forklift to assist?” Roxy asked and Georgia nearly spit wine out her nose.
“Can you keep your voice lower,” she hissed. “I don’t want the entire bar knowing about my sex life.”
“You have to be having sex to have a sex life,” Roxy pointed out.
That was true. Georgia couldn’t remember the last time she’d had an orgasm with someone else in the room. Her vibrators might decide to open a B.O.B union for being overworked.
“I’m working on it.” Not a lie. “I went out with an accountant last night.”
Jane snorted, sending the cat on her lap leaping in terror. “He works with you. And you were a last-minute plus-one to his sister’s wedding. That doesn’t count.”
“We kissed.” Again, a truth.
“On the lips?”
They had her there. “Fine, if you promise to let the Jake thing go, I promise to go out with Henry’s friend.” Her friends shared a look that had a bead of suspicion igniting in her gut. “What?”
“That friend would be Jake,” Jane said, her face pink with what Georgia assumed was guilt.
Still, Georgia’s belly fluttered at the thought of a date with her first love. Did little cartwheels at the reminder of just how close they’d come to sharing a kiss last week.
“So you were going to set me up on a date with a guy who broke my heart?”
An orange-and-white tabby named Pumpkin Spice jumped up on the bar and cautiously sniffed Georgia before coming closer. Georgia picked the fur-baby up as a shield and cuddled him closely. A low purr radiated through Georgia’s body.
“A lot has changed since then, and I saw how you looked at him at the wedding. The expression in your eyes said it wasn’t end of story.”
“Our story ended when my family became too much baggage. So, while I might forgive him because he was young and on the verge of being a world-class athlete, he could have told me himself. Told me he had concerns—before he sucked me in with promises of forever.”
“He’s not that guy anymore.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But I’m not willing to hand over my heart to find out. The only reason I went to see him was to convince him to be our ambassador. He said no.”
“So you’re just done?”
“I wish,” Georgia said, and another silent conversation passed between her friends.
“You’re going to give it another shot?” Jane asked.
“I knew you weren’t a chicken.” Roxy punched out a fist looking for a bump. When Georgia didn’t bump back, Roxy puther hands under her armpits and started flapping them like wings. “Bock, bock, bock.”
“Not a chicken. A cat. I’m cautious and take my time to evaluate the situation.”
“You’ve had a week to evaluate. Six months if we count the wedding.”
“We are not counting the wedding,” Georgia snapped.
Jane’s brow hit a perfect curve of amusement. “Great. Then let’s talk about last week.”
“Nothing to talk about.”
“But now there is?” Roxy asked, taking a swig of her beer, which she brought from home. After a year of complaining that they didn’t serve beer, the owner agreed to a BYOB arrangement for Roxy. She can bring in her own six pack if she doesn’t chase off customers.
“Yup. My boss just told me that there’s a senior position opening up. I’d get to spend all my time actually granting wishes and not balancing budgets and paperwork.”
