Summer Fling

by Jean Copeland

  “I’m having a private conversation with my attorney,” Viv said. “Do you mind?”

  “Excuse you,” Didi said. “We’re not friends anymore? I might have some helpful insight to share with you, too.”

  “Your answer to everything is ‘Sleep with her,’” Viv said. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t solve every problem.”

  “I’m sorry I’m so flippant about Maia,” Didi said. “But she moved out five months ago. You’re on probation. You guys are done. She wanted you to grow up and start a family with her, but you weren’t having any of it. Accept it and move on.”

  “Wouldn’t it be convenient if I could just switch teams mid-game like you did?”

  Didi looked genuinely hurt. “That’s not fair.”

  “Simmer down, ladies,” Kate said. “For as close as the three of us are, it’s obvious we have very different viewpoints on things. Viv understands now that she has to accept that Maia is gone and get on with her life. And, Viv, you know Didi’s coming-out process wasn’t easy.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, girl. I’m just so lost without Maia. I don’t know what to do with myself.”

  “You need to find a purpose,” Kate said in an uplifting tone. “Something that’ll make you feel good about getting out of bed each day, something with more impact than liquidating your father’s ethnic-skin-products fortune on shoes and cocktail parties.”

  Viv sipped her drink and nodded. “You girls are right. Losing Maia has finally helped me see it.” She raised her glass. “Here’s to a new beginning. That nasty little court matter is over, and I’m ready to start living again—with purpose.”

  Kate and Didi raised their glasses.

  “Here’s to a new beginning for all of us,” Didi said.

  “Thanks, girls. I’m gonna go make a lap around the room.” Viv glanced at an assembly of women nearby. “Who needs Maia anyway?”

  “That’s the spirit.” Kate patted her shoulder.

  “You go, girl,” Didi said with enthusiasm.

  Viv smiled and swaggered off.

  “She’ll be drunk-texting Maia within the hour,” Kate mumbled.

  Didi nodded. “Did you ever hear from Jordan this week?”

  Kate regarded her quizzically. “No. Why would I? You handled the website thing, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but I really thought she’d call and ask you out.” Didi scratched through her hair. “I was so sure of myself.”

  “You always are,” Kate said and returned her gaze to the sun dipping into the horizon.

  Didi leaned against the railing next to her. Then, after a moment, “Well, hello, gorgeous…”

  Kate swung around, and the vision of Jordan waving to them from the open doors apprehended her as a breeze caught her curls and swept them across her face. Kate sighed heavily as she waved back.

  “I told you there were new faces inside,” Didi said out of the side of her mouth.

  “Dear God, she’s coming over here,” Kate said through teeth still clenched in a smile.

  Jordan’s beaming face had both Kate and Didi mesmerized as she made her way toward them, parting clusters of people like she was a celebrity.

  After they exchanged air kisses and pleasant greetings, Kate and Didi traded looks of wonder.

  “So, I’m gonna give you gals a chance to get reacquainted,” Didi said. “I have to visit the powder room anyway. At our age one good sneeze or joke could trigger a small tsunami down there. Am I right or what, Kate?” She chuckled.

  Kate glared at her, mortified.

  “Right,” Didi said, soberly. “I’ll be running along now.”

  After Didi rushed off, Kate and Jordan flailed momentarily in the hellish silence occurring before someone at last initiated dialogue.

  “You look beautiful,” Jordan said. “If a date with you is one of the silent-auction items, where do I place my bid?”

  Kate grinned bashfully. “That’s cute, really cute,” she said. “But I don’t think your date would appreciate that.”

  “I’m flying solo tonight. Still in the process of making new friends and cocktail connections. It’s been so long since I’ve lived in Connecticut.”

  “I’m sure it won’t take you long, especially with your music. There are also online lesbian social groups you can join. Didi and I go to some of the events. Maybe you can join us sometime, and we can introduce you to some of our acquaintances.”

  “I’d love that—I mean if you wouldn’t mind me tagging along. I’m pretty easy. Anything goes.”

  Either Kate shouldn’t have drunk that champagne on an empty stomach, or Jordan’s gaze was stirring up something inside her in places that hadn’t been stirred in ages. She trembled from the ambush of Jordan’s unrelenting sex appeal and the insane romantic glow of the setting sun across her face. When their eyes locked, the rush of intensity was too much.

  “Can I get you a drink?” Kate asked, feeling claustrophobic.

  “Uh, sure. A glass of white wine would be great.”

  “Great. Be right back.”

  Like an escaped hostage, Kate scurried back inside the restaurant searching for Didi or Viv, anyone who could talk her off the ledge Jordan had her dangling from.

  “You have to come back out there with me,” Kate said, broadsiding Didi at the bar.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Jordan. I’m freaking out.”

  “I can see that, but what I don’t get is why.”

  “We made eye contact,” she said, wringing her hands. “Deep, soul-penetrating eye contact.”

  “Kate, I’m not following you. You’re in this frenzied state because you and Jordan made eye contact?”

  “Yes. And I feel bad leaving her alone out there. She came by herself.”

  “She’s alone?” Didi propped her hands on her hips. “Kate, this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Go out there and talk to her. Or go find Viv. I’m having a lovely conversation with…” She swiveled toward the empty space beside her. “Thanks a lot, ass-hat. You chased her away.”

  “Didi, we came here together. You have to come back outside with me.”

  “And pull chaperone duty for you? Fuck that. I want to have my own good time.”

  “How can you ditch me at a time like this? What kind of friend are you?”

  “Woman, you need to snap out of this. What are you afraid of? She’s a doll.”

  “I don’t know what I’m doing.” Kate clawed at the front of her neck. “You wouldn’t believe the butterflies I have right now.”

  Didi slapped her hand away. “Stop it. You’re making your neck all red.”

  “I think I’m breaking out in hives.”

  “Kate, listen to me,” Didi said in a soothing voice. “You’re working yourself up for nothing here. It’s okay if you’re a little nervous, have a few butterflies. That’s normal. Take a deep breath and do a shot.”

  Kate waved away the shot Didi offered, opting for deep breathing. She did it several more times and felt herself calming. “Okay, you’re right, you’re right. I’m overreacting.”

  “Just a little,” Didi said, pinching her thumb and forefinger together.

  “I told her I’d get her a drink.”

  “Good. Get her one. And make sure you also get her number so you can ask her to lunch.”

  “What? Are you crazy?”

  “Kate, obviously something is brewing between you two. The chemistry is palpable. And you’d never be getting so worked up if you didn’t feel something. Have lunch with her and see what’s there.”

  Kate swallowed, considering Didi’s suggestion.

  “Look,” Didi said. “Here’s what I propose: If you go out with her, I solemnly promise to stop nagging you about dating.”

  “About dating her or dating in general?”

  “Dating in general.”

  “All I have to do it go out with her once?” Kate narrowed her eyes, skeptical.

  Didi grinned. “That’s the deal.”

  “You
swear?” She searched for confirmation in Didi’s eyes.

  “Witch’s honor.” Didi held two fingers under her eyes like Samantha from Bewitched.

  With a simultaneous nod, they solidified their accord.

  After pausing a second to imbibe the view from behind, Kate approached Jordan and tapped her on the shoulder as she took in the purple sky.

  “Hi again,” Jordan said.

  “Sorry I took so long.” Kate handed her a glass of wine. “The lines at the bar are so long.”

  “That’s great. It’s a fund-raiser, right?”

  “Good point.” She smiled and joined Jordan, resting her elbows on the railing, studying the speckles of faint stars dotting the heavens.

  “It’s funny how we keep running into each other,” Jordan said after a brief silence.

  “Yeah, it is. What brought you here tonight?”

  “Besides the hope that you’d ask me out?” Jordan flashed a sassy grin.

  Kate chuckled at the finesse with which she could deliver a cheesy pick-up line.

  Suddenly, Viv sidled up behind them. Kate wheeled around when she brushed her breast against her back. “What’s up, Viv?”

  “Didi said you needed help out here,” Viv said through lips pursed in a frozen smile. “Introduce me to your new friend.” She extended her hand to Jordan.

  “Uh, Jordan, this is my other oldest and dearest friend, Viv.”

  The two women shook hands.

  “Vivienne Wilmington, President of Wilmington Cosmetics.”

  “President?” Kate mumbled to herself.

  “I’ve heard of your company.” Jordan smiled. “How do you do?”

  “I do quite well,” she said with a wink. “And what do you do? Or should I say are there any more like you at home?”

  “Viv.” Kate admonished her.

  Viv chuckled and slapped Jordan on the arm. “Girlfriend knows I’m just playing.”

  Jordan smiled as she subtly wiped on her pants the white wine Viv had just spilled on her hand.

  “So, do you two have something cooking?” Viv said, a French-manicured finger waving back and forth between them.

  Kate felt her cheeks blaze traffic-light red. “Viv, isn’t there some tanking cosmetics company you could be raiding right now?”

  “That answers my question,” Viv said with a grin. She grabbed Jordan’s hand. “Lovely meeting you, darling.”

  “Same here,” Jordan said.

  Kate grinned as she watched her leave. “Yet another friend I always feel the need to apologize for.”

  “Not at all. They’re great—ballsy, and they totally own it. It’s awesome.”

  “I’m glad I ran into you tonight,” Kate said, surprising herself. “Some coincidence.”

  “I’d like to call it a coincidence, but it’s time I confess. Didi texted me and said you guys would be here.”

  “Okay,” Kate said. She soon realized Didi would not be relenting on this Jordan thing anytime soon so she might as well get it over with. “So, I’m sure your schedule is pretty hectic these days, but would you like to maybe have lunch sometime?”

  Jordan’s face bloomed into a garden of delight. “How about tomorrow?”

  Kate giggled. “Uh, okay. How about that sushi place on Elm Street? You know it?”

  “Better than I know your personal cell number.” Jordan’s attempt at flirting was precious.

  “Then let’s take care of that right now.” Kate took her phone out of her pocket, and they exchanged numbers. “There. Now we can remove Didi from the equation.”

  “Deal,” Jordan said as her eyes seemed to read everything Kate was trying to hide.

  Kate consulted her watch. “I better get in there. They’re going to start announcing the raffle winners, and I have to help pass out the prizes.”

  “Can you pull one of my tickets for the spa-day gift certificate?” Jordan said as they headed inside.

  Kate giggled. “Sure. Why not? I’m giving myself the wine-of-the-month-club prize.”

  Jordan absently bumped into Kate as she laughed.

  * * *

  After the raffle prizes were handed out, Kate rounded up Vivienne and Didi, who were at the bar chatting it up with some younger bois who were plying them with glasses of wine.

  “Are you ready?” Kate said in Didi’s ear.

  “Ready for what?” she said. “It’s nine forty-five.”

  “Hey, ladies,” Viv said, her arm snaking around Kate. “This here’s Kate, our token blond. She’s single, too.”

  The bois greeted her, one with a howl of approval and one with an offer to buy her a shot.

  “No, thank you. I have to get going now. Ready, ladies?”

  “You don’t mean ready as in go home, do you?” Viv asked discreetly.

  Kate nodded. “I’m tired, and since I’m going to lunch with Jordan tomorrow, I need a good night’s sleep so I don’t go looking like one of those puffer fish.”

  “Tomorrow?” Viv said. “Are you meeting her there or picking her up in your U-Haul?”

  Kate rolled her eyes. “You better call an Uber if you guys get hammered.”

  “I’m sure we won’t have any trouble finding a ride,” Didi said, glancing flirtatiously at the bois.

  “Just be careful about getting in a car with strange women.”

  “We don’t have anything to worry about with this well-mannered group,” Didi said, directing her drink glass at them.

  “I was talking to them,” Kate said, and everyone whooped and hollered as she sauntered away.

  She then assumed the gait of a CIA operative, hoping to sneak out to the parking lot without saying good night to Jordan. She’d already had too much to drink so she could speak to Jordan all evening without tripping and stumbling over her words. One more shot or glass of wine and she might’ve stumbled into Jordan in a way that would’ve been impossible to recover from.

  “Kate.” Jordan called her name just as she was about to clear the front door. “You’re leaving?”

  “Oh, hey, uh, yeah, my Uber’s here so I’m heading out.”

  “I’d be happy to drive you home,” Jordan said, her eyes gleaming with hope.

  For a nanosecond, Kate actually entertained the idea of accepting her offer until a car horn startled her back to reality. “I uh, um, my driver’s already…”

  “Oh. Oh, yeah, of course.” Jordan stammered. “Okay, well, I just wanted to…” She hesitated a moment, then kissed Kate on the cheek.

  Kate melted in a smile. “What was that for?”

  “Just a thank you for being so nice to me while I get resettled here. You’re seriously cool.”

  “Thanks. It’s nothing,” Kate said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  With a coy smile, Jordan scuttled back inside. Kate climbed into the waiting car and glanced out at the starry sky, her tension released through an extended sigh.

  Chapter Five

  Biting Off More Than You Can Chew

  Jordan looked sexy as hell as she wiggled a chopstick back and forth between her thumb and middle finger. That’s when Kate realized she needed to lay off the sake that early in the day. This young woman seemed to have possessed certain superpowers that could easily weaken her steely reserve.

  “Okay, now that lunch is over,” Jordan said with a flirty smile, “you can give me the ugly truth.”

  Kate smirked. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

  The auburn light from the lamp suspended between them emphasized their decimated wooden sushi boat—and Jordan’s strong fingers laced together in front of her.

  “You weren’t going to ask me out if I hadn’t coerced you into it last night.”

  “Uh, you know, the jury’s still out on that one, but I’d hardly say you coerced me.” Kate recalled her agreement with Didi and felt like a bit of a heel.

  Jordan frowned. “I knew it. At first I thought Didi was trying to pick me up when she cornered me in the toilet stall earlier in the night.” />
  “She what?”

  “Well, not that she cornered me. I mean, I could’ve gotten out if I really tried.”

  “I have to apologize for Didi. Sometimes her joie de vivre leaves a trail of destruction in its wake.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with her—I just noticed you first at Moxy’s.” Jordan’s eyes cascaded into her plate in the most delectable way.

  Kate couldn’t help but smile. Jordan’s look completely contradicted her personality. By appearance, she was a seductress of biblical proportion, sexuality emanating from every sleek inch of her, yet here was this lovely, gentle creature sitting across from her. How captivating it was learning more about her, unraveling the contrast.

  “You’re very humble for a woman of your beauty. I pictured you being an entirely different person when I saw you at Moxy’s.”

  Jordan grinned and looked down again. “It’s the guitar. It does kooky things to people’s imaginations.”

  “Ugh. Am I being a total cliché?” Kate said. “You must hear this kind of thing from the women you meet at shows all the time. Honestly, I’ve never been a groupie.”

  Jordan giggled. “I don’t really hear it that much, and believe me, you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met at a show.”

  “I wouldn’t think so. I don’t imagine your fan base includes many women old enough to be your mother.”

  “Don’t count on it. Last month I had a woman carrying an oxygen tank come to a show. She cheered louder than anyone. For real.” Jordan grinned. “And I don’t believe that for one minute.”

  “What? That I’m old enough to be your mother?”

  Jordan leaned back and challenged her with a doubtful gaze.

  “I most certainly am…If I’d got knocked up in high school.”

  Jordan laughed. “You don’t look it, and to be honest, I haven’t given your age any thought. I just liked what I saw and wanted to know more about you.”

  “Forty-seven,” Kate announced, bracing for Jordan to recoil in horror. “I’m forty-seven. That’s a seventeen-year age difference.”

  “Kate, this is just lunch,” she said with a giggle.

  “Of course. Jeez. Why would I bring that up? I mean we may never even see each other again after this.”