The Right One

by Ariadne Wayne

  Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.

  “Damn it. Sorry. That’ll be one of my very impatient friends at the door.”

  I leapt up, opening the door to Katya, who stood there with a bottle of wine in her hand. “Rebecca," she said warmly.

  “Katya, come in.”

  She hugged me as she stepped through the entrance, and there was more warmth in her embrace than there had been in forever. Not because our friendship was ever strained—she’d just never been a naturally huggy person.

  “Katya, this is Olivia. Olivia, Katya.” I waved between them by way of introduction.

  “Let’s open the wine. Where are the glasses?” Katya asked.

  “On the table. Just two glasses though. Olivia won’t be having any.”

  “Why not? We’re celebrating. Exactly what I don’t know, but—”

  “Olivia’s pregnant.”

  I swear I’ve never seen a transformation as complete as Katya’s at that second. Her face softened as she moved around the couch and saw Olivia’s bump. “Oh. That’s wonderful.”

  Olivia looked at me with a what have I gotten myself into kinda expression. It was subtle, so Katya wouldn’t see it for what it was, but I’d known her long enough to see it.

  “I managed to pry Olivia away from her big protective Papa Bear for the night. I’m going to spoil the shit out of her.”

  Katya laughed. “Big protective Papa Bear?”

  “Get her to show you a photo,” I said. “He's gorgeous, and completely in lurve with this one.” I nudged Olivia's shoulder. Olivia blushed, and rolled her eyes.

  “It is a girl’s sleepover. It’s compulsory to share photos,” Katya said, completely deadpan.

  As if either of them could resist sharing photos of their men.

  I don’t have a photo of Elliot.

  Maybe because he’s not my man.

  * * *

  We had snacked all evening, watching Sleepless in Seattle, a good old romance movie. By the end of it, we were all blubbering messes, going through tissue after tissue.

  “I love that movie,” I said, sniffing and sounding as if I was about to spit something out the back of my throat. Everything was streaming—my eyes, my nose, and all I could think about was Elliot.

  “Let’s talk about something that will make us laugh. How about our sex lives?” Katya said.

  I rolled my eyes. “As if your sex life is anything to laugh about. I bet you and Tim go at it hammer and tongs.”

  She giggled. “Is it that obvious?”

  “I think I’ve got cobwebs growing,” Gemma said.

  “I thought you met someone?” I poked her leg with my index finger.

  “I did, but I’m keeping him guessing.”

  I studied her closely as she grinned back at me. “Good for you.” I slid my arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly.

  “So that’s no sex for Gemma, lots of sex for Katya. What about you?” I asked Nicola.

  Nicola scanned the room, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

  “Well, I met someone.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  “He’s older. Quite a lot older. I had a crush on him a long time ago, but we ran into one another and something just clicked.” She sucked in her lower lip, meeting my eye with a look that said she wasn’t sure whether to continue.

  “So? Tell us all about him.” Gemma leaned forward.

  “There’s not that much to tell. We’re enjoying spending time together.”

  Gemma rolled her eyes. “No. Tell us about the sex. You know, for those sad sacks who aren’t getting any. Right, Rebecca?”

  I swallowed. “Yeah, right.”

  “Oh. That’s amazing. I was really worried that the image I’d built in my head would turn out to be a load of crap and that the sex would be boring, but that is not the case.” Now she was coming out of her shell. It was strange for her to be in one in the first place. She’d never had any trouble talking about her sex life before.

  “Really?” Katya’s eyes grew wide.

  “He can go for hours, and he’s huge—like crazy big.”

  “Lucky girl.” Katya smiled, and I clamped my lips together tightly.

  “Sounds great, Nicola. I’m really happy for you.” I raised my glass to toast her. “To amazing sex and good friends.”

  Katya looked at Olivia. “What about you?”

  “Olivia has lots of sex with the lovely Logan,” I said, waggling my eyebrows.

  Olivia went a brilliant shade of red, but nodded and giggled. She’d been a bit quiet compared to the others, but she seemed to be enjoying herself.

  “What I love is that he's so completely and utterly in love with her, and he dotes on her, he really does.” I shared a look with Olivia that I hoped showed just how happy I was for her. And I was. Logan was everything she could have ever needed.

  “The sex is amazing.”

  I laughed out loud. Olivia opening up spoke volumes for just how comfortable she was.

  As I looked around the room, the women I loved the most all had smiles on their faces, really enjoying our time together, and I felt a pang of regret that we hadn’t done this more often. We’d sat in that snooty restaurant so many times talking crap but not like this—this was a truly bonding experience.

  “What about you, Rebecca? Are you really getting none? I mean, I know your relationship with Alexander was really sexed up. Do you miss that, or do you have someone who rocks your world from time to time?” Katya asked.

  “Ooooh like that gorgeous guy cleaning the cars that day. You know I might have wandered past a few times trying to get another look, but I haven’t seen him back in the car yard again.”

  Gemma’s words were like a knife to the stomach. Elliot’s mine.

  No damn it. He’s not.

  “He was pretty hot alright,” I said. “No, there’s not really anyone permanent in my life right now.” I met Olivia’s gaze, one of her eyebrows raised at my response.

  She smiled. Olivia had her secrets in the past, and I knew she’d keep mine. I hadn’t exactly lied.

  “That was so funny that day,” Nicola said. “Alexander’s reaction—if he hadn’t stuck his dick in someone else, you two would be still be going at it like crazy. I'm glad you found out and dumped him, he'd still be doing it behind your back. I bet you’d even be married with babies on the way."

  “Yeah, but he did. And that’s that.” I was so sick of seeing him, hearing about him, listening to these theories of ‘what if’ when he had been the bad guy in our relationship.

  “Why don’t we watch another movie?” Olivia suggested. I could have kissed her for changing the subject.

  I got up and walked to the cabinet beside the television to pick another movie.

  “What do you guys want to watch?” I asked.

  “Something funny after that weep-fest,” Nicola said.

  I pulled out a copy of Shrek, holding it up.

  “You’ve got kids movies? Let me look,” Gemma said, moving behind me. She grabbed hold of a DVD, pulling it out. “The Lion King. Let’s watch that.”

  I’d had that sitting in the cupboard for a while, but now it had new meaning. Seeing it made me think about Elliot. Damn him for going away.

  No. He has to do whatever he has to do. He’s coming back.

  “I want something funny. How about this?” I pulled out Men in Black and she nodded.

  “I enjoyed that. Besides, Will Smith.”

  There. Done.

  I popped the DVD in the player and we started all over again.

  Sitting at one end of the couch, I pulled my feet up and hugged my knees in the corner. My mobile sat on the armrest and buzzed as the movie started.

  I picked it up and smiled.

  Saturday night and I’m thinking about you. What are you up to?

  Elliot was thinking of me. I couldn’t begin to describe how good that felt.

  Sleepover with the girls. What are you doing?

  There was
no watching the movie now, but the others were glued to the television, laughing at all the funny parts and not paying one bit of attention to me.

  Watching some awful film on TV and wishing I was in bed with you instead.

  I laughed, out of sync with the others, and Olivia cocked her head at me before spotting the phone in my hand. She smiled and went back to the movie. Of all of them, I could rely on her not to bring attention to what I was doing.

  I could do with some of that too. I’ve been a bit itchy. I sent back

  If I was there I could scratch that itch.

  I bet you could.

  Holy crap this was hot, sexting away while the rest of the room was oblivious.

  It’s getting tough being away from you. I wanted to come back this week, but I’ve got to see this through.

  I gazed at the phone for a moment, not knowing what to say. He missed me. Just like I missed him.

  “Earth to Rebecca.” Katya was looking back at me from her spot on the floor.

  “Sorry, what?”

  “I said, do you want me to throw some more popcorn in the microwave?”

  I shrugged. “If you want some, go and help yourself. You know where everything is.”

  She grinned. “This was such a great idea, doing this.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  Nicola stretched, pulling the lever to put the footrest up on the recliner she sat on.

  “This is the life. We should do this more often.” She yawned.

  Katya stood, making her way toward the kitchen. “Are we keeping you up, Nicola? Or is that what your older man does for you? Pretty sad if he’s got more energy than you.” She paused and looked back, poking her tongue out.

  “He does wear me out, but no. I’m just comfortable and relaxed and happy sitting here.”

  That summed up how we all felt. I hadn’t been so happy in years.

  We all camped out on the living room floor rather than split up to sleep in the bedrooms and I pulled the bedding off my bed and from the spare room. Olivia was the only exception; I made sure she got the couch. No way was I going to let my very pregnant friend sleep on the floor. Besides, the couch was warm, soft and insanely comfortable.

  I’d spent a lot of hours with Elliot on that couch.

  Elliot.

  Shit.

  I grabbed the phone from where I’d dumped it on the coffee table, and pulled it with me under the blanket. There was a text on the screen that was only a few words long but it made me warm all over.

  Sleep well. I miss you.

  I sighed. Damn it. So much for not getting too involved in anything new.

  I miss you too. Goodnight.

  It wasn’t the first time he’d said he missed me, but it really was harder to deal with. How do you get so tangled in someone it almost becomes an obsession? My resistance to getting in too deep was slowly being eroded by his thoughtfulness. It didn’t help that my poster child for happy endings was sleeping peacefully on the couch nearby.

  I closed my eyes, hugging my phone close. No more messages for the night, but I was surrounded by friendship and love.

  I should have done this a long time ago.

  Chapter Twelve

  There were some very bleary eyes and lots of yawning in the morning. Tired, I dragged myself into the kitchen and flicked on an element on the stove.

  “What are you doing?” Olivia asked. Of course, she was the one out of all of us with no hangover. She certainly looked a lot better than I felt.

  “Cooking breakfast.” I rubbed my face with my palm, still half-asleep.

  She smiled. “Let me do that.”

  “Uh-uh, pregnant lady. I said I’d take care of you and that’s what I intend to do. Go and put your feet up. I’m making bacon and eggs.”

  Nicola stood in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

  “It’ll be fine,” I mumbled. “We all just need something to get us going.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Gemma said¸ leaning on Nicola. The pair of them clung to one another as if they needed the support. Maybe they did.

  “I’m positive. I discovered bacon sandwiches one morning when I was hungover. I’m going to teach you just how amazing they can be.”

  Katya walked past Gemma and Nicola standing near the door and sat at the table. “Sounds good to me. I’m ravenous.”

  I smiled sweetly, opening the fridge and pulling a carton of eggs and packet of bacon out. They had become a staple of my kitchen; I never knew just when I might need them.

  As soon as the bacon began to sizzle in the pan and that familiar aroma filled the air, Gemma and Nicola joined Katya and Olivia at the table.

  “That does smell good,” Gemma said.

  “We should do this again,” Katya said. “And not wait so long this time. We could have been doing this instead of all those lunches at that snobby restaurant.”

  I gaped at her, one eyebrow raised. “Wasn’t it your idea to go to that snobby restaurant?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

  “Whatever we do next, Olivia has to join in.” Gemma said, smiling across the table.

  “Doubt it. She’ll be way too fat for the next one.” I winked at Olivia and she laughed, rolling her eyes.

  “I hate to say this, but I think you’re right.” She nodded.

  “Besides, one night alone and Logan’s probably going to chain you to the bed or something.” I poked my tongue, flipping the bacon.

  This was so much fun.

  * * *

  I’d never been so glad to have bought both bacon and eggs for the occasion. Despite some initial protests, all five of us wolfed down our breakfasts. Gemma even asked for seconds. Gemma never asked for seconds.

  One by one they went home, leaving me with Olivia and a living room full of blankets and pillows.

  “Want me to help tidy?” Olivia asked.

  “Over my dead body.”

  “Well, the sleepover has finished.”

  “Until I deliver you to your family, you’re not doing a thing. Speaking of which, I’ll drop you off and then come home and clean up.”

  She got that dreamy look on her face she always did when she thought of Logan. They hadn’t spent that much time apart, but she would be missing him.

  And I was missing Elliot.

  Damn it. I didn’t want to think about that.

  “Are you okay?”

  Damn her for knowing me so well.

  “I’m fine. Just the guy I’ve been seeing is out of town at the moment.”

  Olivia’s lips curled into a smile.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Is that what all those text messages were about?”

  Grinning, I nodded. “No one else said anything.”

  She tilted her hand, her index finger pointing to her chin. “Completely sober.”

  I chuckled as I opened the front door. “Should I take you home, Cinderella?”

  Olivia rolled her eyes, grabbing her bag as she walked past me and out the door. “Yes, but I want the full story. And you are going to tell me one day.”

  I unlocked the car remotely, and we climbed in. She gasped as she sat down, and I stared at her, terrified in case I’d broken her.

  “Olivia?”

  “I’m fine. The baby just kicked really hard. It’s just been butterflies until now.”

  She glowed with excitement, a completely different woman to the one I’d met all those months ago.

  I turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. Slowly, I backed down the driveway. I had precious cargo in my passenger seat, and I would get my butt kicked if I wasn’t cautious.

  Almost as if she read my mind, Olivia patted my arm. “You know I’m not made of china, right? I’ve had this conversation with Logan too.”

  I laughed. “I know. You’re the toughest woman I know.”

  Pulling into the traffic, I started the short journey to her place.
r />   “You think I’m tough? I think I’m just a giant marshmallow. Particularly big right now.”

  I slowed as we reached a stop sign, checking thoroughly before driving through the intersection. She'd been so strong through her marriage breakup. I'd admired her for that.

  “You are a big softy inside, but you dealt with so much crazy stuff. That’s what I admire about you. I know you had the boys to put first, but you got through that horrible marriage break-up, and you started again. That’s kinda what I want.”

  “With neighbour boy?” I knew the question was coming before she asked it.

  “Maybe. I mean I found it so hard to trust people again after Alexander. He was my whole world, other than the business, and not only did he screw around on me, he didn’t even attempt to put things back together.”

  “I was kinda surprised the girls banged on about him so much,” Olivia said.

  I nodded. “Yeah, but he’s part of a wider groups of friends. You know that phrase ‘Don’t screw the crew’? Yeah. Although in my defence, we were in love, and it was all very lovey-dovey for a long time. It’s just because I haven’t had anyone serious in my life since then that they show so much interest. And because he'll be at Katya’s upcoming wedding.”

  We slowed again, this time for a red light, and I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, not due to impatience, but to not really wanting to discuss my past.

  “Trusting again is hard, but it can be worth it.” Olivia said the words so softly, I could barely hear them over the hum of the car engine. She was right. It had worked for her. Why couldn’t it work for me?

  The light went green and I drove the half a block to her apartment building.

  We pulled up outside her place and I stopped the car, smiling. “Maybe you’re right. Thanks so much for coming over. I really enjoyed it.”

  She nodded. “So did I. Your friends are fun.”

  I swung my head from side to side. “Sometimes.”

  Olivia laughed. “Well, I had fun. Suppose I’d better get inside and make sure Logan is alright. The boys can be a bit full on. I can't wait to hug them.”

  Rolling my eyes, I smirked. “Logan will be fine. I’m sure he’ll want to make up for the one whole night you spent apart.”