Page 11 of Taffy
“I’m guessing you weren’t expecting me,” she says, covering her mouth as she giggles. She has the same dark hair as Troy, but her complexion and eye color are that of her mother.
“I,” I start, pulling my robe closed and tightening the sash while my mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. “I…”
She laughs. “I can leave if you’re waiting on someone.” Then her eyes go wide. “Oh my god.You’re waiting on someone.” She steps inside my room and shuts the door, leaning against it. “Who is it? And how did the girl who’s been saving herself all through college find someone to pop her cherry on her first night in North Beach?” She gasps, grabbing the tops of my arms. “Have you been online dating? Is that why you applied down here? Oh my god! I’m so excited for you. Tell meeverything.” She releases me and plonks herself down on my couch, expression eager because this is what best friends are supposed to do, right? They’re supposed to sit together and gossip about boys and sex. But I can’t. Not when the guy I slept with is her dad.
I obviously didn’t think this through at all.
“Why are you here?” I ask instead, and it feels rude, but I’m reeling, and I don’t know what to say or do without fucking this entire thing up.
“Housewarming, silly,” she says, reaching into her bag and pulling out a bottle of sparkling wine. “I had to come and see my bestie in her new place, and I haven’t seen Dad in a while, so I had the weekend free and thought I’d surprise you.” The smile falters on her face. “Thisisa happy surprise, right? You’re not expecting your guy to come over and ravish you?”
Now my eyes go wide. “Oh god, no. No ravishing planned. And yes,yes.I love that you’re here. Of course, I do. I’m just…I’m surprised. But in a good way,” I finish quickly, forcing my mouth into a broad smile while my brain tries to catch up with what’s going on.Thank god Troy went home last night, or this would be awkward as fuck.
“Good. Because I miss you, and I wanted to spend one last weekend with you before your life gets as crazy as mine with work and what not. We thought college was hard, T, but this working and looking after yourself thing is way harder.”
“Enough to start drinking at nine in the morning?” I joke, indicating to the wine.
“Almost.” She laughs. “But we’re not quite there yet. How about you get dressed, and I’ll take you out to breakfast. I’ve got so much to talk to you about, and from that greeting I got, it looks like you have a bunch you need to tell me too.”
Troy
With a bag of taffy in my hand, I climb the steps to the townhouse, my head clearer for all the walking and thinking I did. It’s a complicated situation because I don’t want Kate to feel like I’m choosing her friend over her. I want us to come to some sort of understanding as adults. And as long as I’m upfront and honest with her, I think we can do that.
Pulling the key from my pocket, I insert it into Tina’s door. The bag of taffy is for her since I knocked her last bag to the ground when I kissed the hell out of her last night. I close my eyes, reveling in the memory as I push the door open and step through.
I open my mouth, planning to call out, ‘Honey, I’m home!’ but thankfully, my brain shuts that shit down when my eyes take in the sight on Tina’s couch.
“Dad!” Kate smiles and jumps up to greet me. She’s almost in front of me when she stops and frowns. “Did you just let yourself in with a key?”
“Uh,” I stammer, looking at the key in my hand then back to her. “I—uh—”
“Troy!” Tina’s voice cuts into the tense moment as she steps out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of skin-tight jeans and a red tank top that looks amazing as it hugs her curves.Fuck, she’s beautiful.
“Hey. I, uh, brought you.” I lift the bag, not sure what else to say. Kate is standing in front of me, and it seems she’s piecing things together, which isnothow I planned for her to find out about me and Tina. But it’s happening, and I’m playing it all by ear. Terribly.
“Thank you,” Tina says like she’s holding her breath. “You can put it on the counter.”
“Sure.” I nod and step to the side, placing the bag on the tiny kitchen counter that I bent her over just last night. The memories flash through my mind, making me feel heady and guilty at the same time. “I should…” I clear my throat and frown, thumb towards the door.
“No. No, you don’t,” Kate says, her stance and expression on high alert as she absorbs the scene and looks between us. “What the hell is going on here?”
Tina and I lock eyes in silent communication. Both of us go through a moment of opening our mouths and releasing stuttered noises before finally one of us speaks.
“I fucked your dad,” Tina blurts before gasping and slapping her hands over her mouth.
Kate’s spine stiffens as her face turns bright red.Shit.
“Made love, I mean. Right? We made love,” Tina corrects, looking to me for support or encouragement. I’m not sure which one.
“There was a lot of fucking,” I admit, as if that’s going to help things.
Tina giggles. “There was.” But then she claps her hands over her mouth again, and now I’m trying not to laugh inappropriately. Not that there’sanythingappropriate about this at all.Fuck.
“I’m in love with her, Kate.” I lay my cards on the table, because really, that’s all that’s left to do.
“I love him too,” Tina adds, removing her hands from her mouth and wringing them in front of her. “And I’m sorry. I know this is weird.”
Kate’s hands fly up as she closes her eyes, wanting us to stop as she takes a couple of deep breaths. “How long has this been going on?”
