Page 80 of Pity Party

“But what kind of connection can you be making if you’re kissing a whole bunch of gals?” Rob asks before adding, “Not that I’m not totally impressed, because I am. I mean, what man doesn’t occasionally think about having more than one woman?”

That’s when Terra and Melissa walk back out to join us. Melissa looks gorgeous in her borrowed dress and the desire to reach out and touch her is intense. She just draws people to herself with her poise and charm. I feel lucky to be her “date” for the night.

It’s clear they overheard Tim’s comment because Terra asks, “What woman hasn’t thought about having more than one man?”

Rob has the nerve to sound offended as he asks, “You’ve thought about other guys?”

“Um, yeah. Why do you think I watchOutlander?”

“I thought it was because it had a good plot.”

Terra laughs. “That’s what I tellyou.But Sam Heughan is the real reason. That man sizzles my bacon every time he pulls Claire into his arms.”

“Terra!” Rob sounds angry.

“What? I’m just picking up on the conversation you were having before we came out. You can’t seriously be saying it’s okay for you to think about other women but not for me to think about other men.”

Instead of answering her question, Rob walks over to his wife and takes both of her hands in his. “You are the only woman for me,” he declares with meaning.

“And you’re the only man for me.”

I feel like we’re on a soap opera set watching a particularly juicy scene play out. Rob asks, “You’d never leave me, would you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Rob. Of course I wouldn’t leave you.” Then she teases, “I mean, how would we divide everything?” Even though Rob doesn’t look convinced, he drops the topic.

Once things are settled with our hosts, we carry on and enjoy a delicious steak dinner. However, I’m sure the night isn’t what it would have been had Heather stayed and we all pretended to be grownups. Instead, there’s an air of melancholy we can’t seem to shake.

After dessert, Melissa stands up and brushes the wrinkles out of her borrowed dress. “Terra, Rob, thank you both for a lovely evening, but I’m ready to crash.”

“It’s been a day,” Rob says, still giving his wife the side eye.

Tim stands up next. “I’ve got some women to break up with.”

After a round of hugs and promises to get together again, Melissa and I stroll side-by-side to my car. “This was an interesting night, huh?” she asks, while taking my arm. I’m not used to her initiating contact, but I like it a lot.

“Better than dinner theater,” I tell her.

That comment causes her to laugh. “I’m glad Tim is going to simplify his dating life.”

“And you’re okay that you won’t be dating anymore?” I know she said she broke up with him, but I want to make sure that she’s truly over whatever she might have felt for him.

“Tim never sizzled my bacon, as Terra said. He’s a nice guy and I like him a lot, but nothing would have ever come of us. We’re just going to be friends.”

“What kind of friends?” My mind immediately goes to our earlier conversation about the definition of good friends andreallygood friends.

“Just friends,” Melissa says.

When we get to the car, I open the passenger side door for her. Then I go around to the driver’s side. Once I’m settled, I ask, “Do you want to go home, or do you want to go for a drive?”

“A drive, where?”

“Maybe down to the lake?”

“That sounds romantic. I’m not at all sure that’s something friends should be doing.”

“But we’rereallygood friends,” I remind her. Also, she held my arm when we were walking, so that must mean something.

“We are that,” she decides. “Fine, let’s go to the lake.”

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