“Hey, whipped,” she teased.
“I am not whipped.” She placed a hand on Joanna’s waist.
“You are very whipped,” Keira agreed with Hillary. “Where is Kellan? I want to meet Reese.”
“Me too.” Hillary looked around and then at the door.
“She’ll be here. Can we play?” Emma asked Keira and then looked toward Hillary. “You too, Hill. I plan on kicking your ass at basketball.”
“I’m in the mood to wander right now. You two play.” Hillary made her way around the bar, leaving the four of them.
“Is she okay?” Keira asked Emma but really the whole group.
“I think so. She was all smiles before,” Joanna said. “You got me this?” She met Macon’s eyes.
“I did.” Macon pulled her closer. “And now I have to kick your ass at basketball.” She pointed to Emma.
“Challenge accepted,” Emma replied.
“I’ll be back.” She kissed Joanna briefly.
Joanna heard Emma doing the same with Keira, and the two ran off to the other side of the room, like children, to play basketball.
“Are our girlfriends acting like children?” Keira asked.
“It appears so. But look what mine won for me.” Joanna held out her tiny teddy bear.
“You did manage to tame her, didn’t you?” Keira replied.
“I didn’t tame her. There was nothing to tame.” She laughed. “You two really need to talk.”
“About what?”
“About the fact that you think she needed taming by me. She didn’t.”
“And I need to talk to her about it?”
“I think she lets you guys believe things because it’s easier,” Joanna said.
“Like what?”
“Just talk to her when you can. It’s not a big deal, but I do think it would be nice to get some things straight.”
Keira’s phone rang. She pulled it from her purse.
“It’s Kell.” She held it to her ear. “Where are you, guys?” She paused. “We came out to meet you, Kell, and Reese. Mostly Reese, because we haven’t met her yet.” She paused again. “I get it. I guess we’ll do this some other time.” She waited another moment and hung up. “They’re not coming. She had a vet emergency. They’re still stuck in Tahoe.”
“Oh, that sucks,” Joanna replied and took a drink.
“I wanted to meet this amazing Reese.” Keira put her phone back into her purse and looked around for her girlfriend.
“We can still have fun.” Joanna clinked their glasses together.
“I know. It’s just… you weren’t really around for the whole Kellan thing.” She then pointed to where Hillary was sitting at the bar, talking to a guy. “Maybe there’s something going on there.”
“Nice.” Joanna followed her gaze and caught Hillary laughing. “And what Kellan thing?”
“Kellan and I kind of dated. We were finally able to get a friendship back, but she still had feelings for me. Then, I met Emma, and Kellan told me about her feelings. She kind of went to Tahoe for a vacation to try to get past it, and she ended up staying.”
“Because of Reese?”
“We’ve only talked a handful of times, which is why I was so excited to see her. I know she’s happy now. She and Reese have been together for almost as long as Emma and I. And she’s got her own practice there, which was her dream. She’s only been back to the city once since she left. Reese couldn’t make it, so none of us have met this woman that our friend fell in love with.”
“Maybe we could all plan a trip to Tahoe instead.”
“That’s not a bad idea. I haven’t been to Tahoe in years. We could get cabins up there. That could be romantic.” Keira looked over at where Emma and Macon were returning from their basketball competition. “I bet Emma would be interested; she’s never been.”
“Neither have I,” Joanna admitted.
“Neither have you what?” Macon asked.
“I’ve never been to Tahoe,” Joanna told her as Macon’s arm made its way to the small of her back.
“You haven’t?”
“No.”
“Neither have I,” Emma added.
“Who won?” Keira asked.
“We played two out of three, because I took the first one and this one wouldn’t admit defeat,” Macon replied.
“And then she won the second one, too.” Emma took a drink of her wine.
“You’re all about victories tonight, aren’t you?” Joanna kissed the side of Macon’s neck and rested her head against the woman’s shoulder.
“Where’s Hill?” Emma asked.
“Hitting on some guy at the bar.” Keira nodded.
“Hillary’s doing the hitting?” Macon seemed to be in disbelief; and she went to turn but stopped, because Joanna’s head was on her shoulder.
Joanna took her hand and sipped on her beer as they both turned to see that Hillary waved off the guy who was now joining his friends at one of the tables. Then, she turned to walk back to her own group of friends.
“Hillary, who was that fine gentleman, and did you get his number?” Macon asked.
“What? Who?” Hillary asked.
“The man you were talking to.”
“Oh, that’s a student. He’s a Ph. D candidate.”
“So, nothing romantic there?” Joanna checked.
“He’s married to another student I know.”
“We thought you might get a date out of it,” Keira said, and then she lit up completely as she saw something no one else seemed to notice. “Oh, my God! Hill, she’s here.” She pointed and dropped her finger out of fear of being seen, starting to nod instead. “She’s here.”
“Who’s here?” Emma asked and followed her girlfriend’s gaze.
“Your mystery woman.” Keira nodded emphatically toward the bar.
Joanna followed her nods and saw a woman, who, from afar, looked to be about 5’7” or 5’8”. She was attractive, to be sure. She had long auburn hair that was done up intricately in some kind of fancy braid.
“She’s not my mystery woman.” Hillary looked toward that woman. Joanna caught a smile. Then, the smile disappeared when the mystery woman met and hugged a man. “She’s his mystery woman, apparently.”
“They just hugged; no kiss,” Emma pointed out.
“And she’s always staring at you at the café, Hill,” Keira insisted.
“She doesn’t stare. She glances, occasionally.”
“And you’ve never talked to her?” Joanna asked.
“No.”
“She’s scared,” Macon said.
“I’m not scared. Just look at her.” Hillary motioned palm up in the direction of the woman who was now sitting next to the man she’d just hugged. “She’s gorgeous.”
“So are you, Hill.” Keira finished her wine.
“Do you want another one?” Emma asked, finishing her own.
“No, I’m good. I’ll get one for you, though.” Keira kissed her cheek.
“Water?” Emma asked.
“Sure. Anyone else?”
“I’m okay,” Macon offered, and Joanna shook her head.
“Keira, do not do anything.” Hillary pointed at her.
“I’m going to get my girlfriend a bottle of water.” She held out her hands in defense. “I’ll grab you one, too.” She pointed at Hillary. “Lime?”
“Keira…”
“Lime it is,” Keira said in response.
“You know she’s going to talk to her, right?” Emma said.
“Fuck.” Hillary moved away from them and around a corner, where she could hide behind a row of games.
“What is happening right now?” Joanna laughed, and Macon’s arms went around her waist from behind. “Where did your beer go?”
“I finished it.” Macon kissed her neck. “Come on. I want to play one of those motorcycle games.”
“Emma, you joining us?” Joanna asked as Macon kissed her in that spot again.
“No, I’ll
wait for Key.” Emma nodded and smiled toward her girlfriend. “Actually, can I borrow you two before you run off?”
“What’s up?” Macon asked.
“I have something I want to run by you.” Emma stepped closer. “I want to ask her.”
“Ask who what?” Joanna questioned, possibly feeling slightly tipsy from how quickly she’d finished her own beer.
“Shit! Really?” Macon pulled back from her. Joanna turned halfway to check on her. “You’re proposing?” she whispered.
“Really?” Joanna moved into Macon and moved her arms back where they were.
“I want to, yes. I still need to pick out a ring and figure out how to do it.”
“What can we do?” Joanna asked.
“I don’t know yet. I just know I want to marry that girl. I talked to Hailey about it, and she told me to make some grand romantic gesture. Then, her wife told me to just ask her. So, now, I don’t know what to do.”
“You know Keira better than anyone. What do you think she’d want?” Joanna asked and ran her fingers along Macon’s hands on her waist.
“Her name is Amara.” Keira bounded back over. “Oh, I forgot your water,” she said to Emma.
Emma laughed, pulled Keira closer to her, and said, “I forgive you. Now, what were you saying?”
“I didn’t talk to her, because Hill would be pissed. But I overheard her introducing herself to that guy’s girlfriend; her name is Amara. And he is just a friend.”
“That’s good news, I guess, but it doesn’t mean she’s into Hill,” Macon said.
“I know. But, guys, she’s at the café nearly every time Hillary is. I’ve seen her at least fifteen times. She’s looking at her whenever she can.”
“Okay, but Hillary doesn’t want to do anything about it, babe,” Emma explained.
“She’s just scared.”
“I am not scared,” Hillary rejected and emerged.
“You’re literally hiding right now,” Keira pointed out.
“This is stupid: I came out to see Kell, and now this night somehow turned into trying to hook me up with someone. I’m going home.” Hillary rolled her eyes at her friends playfully.
“Hill, don’t be like that,” Emma said. “I’ll keep her in check.” She nodded toward her girlfriend.
“Of course, you will,” Keira replied sarcastically. “I’m bummed about Kellan and Reese, too, though. Maybe we can all grab dinner? We can leave Amara, your mystery girl, here.”
“Her name’s Amara?” Hillary smiled, and her voice had some levity to it. “It’s pretty.” She allowed her eyes to drift to the bar, where she watched Amara laughing with her two friends.
“She’s pretty, too, Hillary.” Joanna nudged her forearm. “Why don’t you just go talk to her?”
“Dinner sounds good.” Hillary returned her attention to Keira. “What are you guys in the mood for?”
“Another time,” Macon whispered into Joanna’s ear. “She’ll get there, eventually.”
“Dinner?” Emma looked in their direction.
“Let’s go,” Macon replied.
“Make, can I walk with you?” Keira asked.
“I’ll walk with Emma and Hillary,” Joanna instantly volunteered.
“We’re all walking together, aren’t we?” Macon checked. “Why are we being weird?”
“Give me five minutes of your time without your girlfriend glued to your hip,” Keira teased, pulling Macon along.
“Says the woman that’s been glued to her girlfriend’s hip forever.” Macon laughed.
They all headed toward the door. Joanna noted the blush on Hillary’s face as they moved past Amara. Then, she noticed Amara turn and catch Hillary leaving. The expression the woman had on her face told Joanna all she needed to know.
◆◆◆
Greene watched Joanna, who walked next to Hillary and Emma ahead of them. She noted how shapely her girlfriend’s ass was from behind and even tipped her head to the side to check it out from another angle.
“Really, Greene?” Keira laughed.
“What?” Greene bumped shoulders with her. “My girlfriend has a nice ass.”
“So does mine.” Keira did the same thing and stared at Emma’s.
“I can respectfully acknowledge that.” Greene winked at Keira. “So, you want to tell me why you wanted to walk with me for some strange reason?”
“I’ve been talking to Joanna a lot since you disappeared. She was our only way of knowing you were okay.”
“Yes, please remind me of that again and again forever.”
“Anyway, she’s led me to believe that there are some things you allow us to say that may not exactly be true.”
“Like what?” Greene asked and glanced over at her.
“She wouldn’t tell me, but it sounded like maybe there’s something you’re not telling us about your little bar escapades.”
Greene stared at the ground and shook her head side to side.
“It’s not a big deal; that’s why I’ve never said anything about it.”
“So, what’s the secret, Make? All these women we thought you were dating… you weren’t?”
“It’s not like that,” Greene explained. “I dated them. I just didn’t sleep with all of them. You guys think I sleep around a lot. I don’t. I never have. I would meet someone, there would be some flirting and maybe a hot make-out session, but that’s basically where it ended nine times out of ten. When I did like a woman enough to go out on a date, we’d date. Sometimes, we’d have sex. But I’m not this Lothario you all make me out to be.”
“Greene, why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it didn’t matter.”
“Of course, it mattered.” Keira placed a gentle hand on Greene’s arm to hold her back.
“We’re going to fall behind,” Greene deflected.
“Hey, talk to me.”
“Keira, sometimes it’s just easier to let people think things about me than it is to correct them.”
“I’m not people, Macon Greene; I’m your best friend, or at least I was before Joanna entered the–”
“No, you don’t get to do that, Keira,” she interrupted a little louder than she’d intended.
“Everything okay?” Joanna turned to check.
“We’ll meet you guys there,” Greene instructed. “It’s fine.” She softened her voice toward Joanna.
“Okay.” Joanna nodded and gave her a sweet smile.
“Keira, when you met Emma, it was like the rest of us didn’t exist for a while after that. I get it: you fell in love. And I’m so happy for you two. I want you to be happy. I love Emma; but it was like you weren’t there anymore. Hillary and I were on our own, but that was okay.”
“Because you had Joanna?”
“No, not just because of that. I mean, she was a part of it, and yes, she became my best friend. She’s amazing, and I love her, but this is about before that. You wonder why I never bothered to correct you?” She let out a deep exhale. “It’s because you thought it in the first place.”
“What?”
“You saw me flirt with some girl years ago, another one bought me a drink; I remember the night this whole thing started. You made a comment about how the girls were all over me. One of them kissed me. It was a peck more than anything. And, suddenly, I was a player, or at least this habitual dater who slept with women left and right. It caught on with Hill, and somehow it took off from there, but I’ve slept with fewer women than Jo has slept with men. And neither of us sleeps around, Keira.”
“Make, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“I know. I know. It just sucks when you have this best friend, who’s supposed to know you, and she makes an assumption about your character as if she doesn’t.”
“I never should have said it. I’m sorry. I didn’t know, Greene. You always seemed so good at picking up women in bars, and you’d leave with them sometimes.”
“We’d talk, kiss, maybe get to second base, but that was i
t, Keira.”
“I’m sorry. What else can I do to make this up to you? I feel terrible, Greene.”
“It’s fine. Honestly, it is. This is Jo’s work.” She turned to see that the threesome was standing on the corner, waiting for them. “I love that woman, but she keeps trying to make me better. It’s frustrating sometimes.”
“Emma does the same thing to me. It sucks.” Keira looked in Emma’s direction. “And it’s awesome.”
“Yeah,” Greene agreed.
“It is awesome, you know?” Keira bumped her shoulder.
“What?”
“When you find that person that makes you better. Or, in this case, when you find that person that makes your best friend realize what an asshole she’s been for years now because she never bothered to really get to know that part of you.”
“Did you just call yourself an asshole?” Greene asked her with a grin.
“Yes, I did. Because I am. I’m sorry, Make.”
“I know.”
“I’m glad she got me to talk to you.”
“Me too.”
“But you don’t want to admit that to her, do you?” Keira chuckled.
“The only thing I’ve ever kept from her was how I felt about her. And I couldn’t even keep that in for that long and spilled it right after I figured it out.” She turned to see Joanna watching them with a concerned expression. “It doesn’t do me any good to try to keep things from her. I don’t want to, anyway. I like when she’s happy; and she’ll be happy that we talked.”
“You really are a one-woman woman, aren’t you?” Keira laughed and hooked her arm through Greene’s as they walked on to meet the rest of the group.
“Always have been, yeah.” She laughed back.
“I’m sorry I never noticed before.”
“You notice now, though, don’t you?”
“How well you two fit? Yeah, everyone notices that, Greene. Literally, everyone noticed. We noticed before you two did.”
“And you honestly thought the straight girl would fall for the gay best friend?”
Keira stopped walking, holding Greene back again.
“Make, she fell for you right away.” She laughed. “Do you honestly not remember?”
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