Second Chance for Romance полностью

“And I know what it’s like to push someone away just to save yourself from pain.”

“I guess that makes you special,” she said with real bitterness. I knew it wasn’t for me, though.

“No. It makes me human. Just like you.”

“Aren’t you so smart.”

“I dunno. Wait till I tell you what’s going on in my life. Then you might not be so sure.”

“Yeah, let’s change the subject,” she said. “Too much about my problems for one night.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind…”

“I’m sure. Nothing you can do to help me anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t be your friend.”

She laughed and sniffed again. “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad you are.”

“Me too. And I know what you mean. Surprising as hell, isn’t it?”

“To say the least. So… tell me about your fucked-up life.”

“Well… there’s a girl.”

“I knew it.”

“Hey, you’re one to talk!”

Her dark laugh was agreement enough.

“Anyway, this girl…” I told her a little about my history with Gina, up to the point where we’d broken up. “Then we saw each other again at her sister’s wedding.”

“And sparks flew?”

“Big time. As good as it ever was, only better. We’d both grown up a lot.”

“So… what’s the problem?”

“Well… there’s this other girl.”

“There always is.”

“Says the lesbian.”

“Ha! Okay. You got me there. Anyway, what about this other girl?”

“I like her.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“No, I mean I really like her.” I woofed like someone had punched me in the gut.

“What?”

“That’s the first time I’ve said that. Not just aloud, but even to myself.”

“Said what?”

“That I like her. And not just in a casual way, like any pretty girl.”

“Sure.”

“Hey, I may seem like a hound, but I’m actually pretty discriminating. I have ridiculously high standards. And my lifestyle… well, I’ll tell you later.

But take my word for it, it’s complicated.”

“So… what’s she like, this other girl?”

“You remember the girls who started all those rumors about you and Daphne?”

“Yes,” she said cautiously. “Hold on… you aren’t talking about that bitch Aisling.”

I laughed. “No.”

“So… the other one? The little blonde? What was her name?” She searched her memory. “Christy, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. Good memory.”

“Thanks. So… you fell for her? Isn’t that why she started all those rumors in the first place? To get back at you? ”

“Yeah.”

“So… what happened?”

“Well, it turns out she had a crush on me.”

“Figures.”

“And I was kind of a jerk to her.”

“Figures.”

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Hey, what’re friends for? Anyway, what happened to change that?”

“I moved in with her.”

She laughed. “You what? ”

“Moved in with her. She’s my best friend’s girlfriend’s best friend.”

She laughed again and worked through the relationships. “Okay. So you live with her. This Christy.”

“That wouldn’t normally be a problem. I mean, I’m not really looking for a girlfriend or anything.”

“Well, you might not be, but your weenie probably is.”

“Yes and no. I don’t really have any shortage of… um… friends.”

“Friends like you and Daphne?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah. I get it.”

“And speaking of which,” I said, “remind me sometime to tell you why I

don’t think your sexual preferences are all that shocking.”

“Oh?” she said, titillated.

“Yeah, but not tonight.”

“So you expect me to call back?”

“No, I’ll call you next time. I mean, I’m not rich or anything, but I can afford a couple of long-distance phone calls.”

“I don’t even wanna think about my phone bill this month.”

“No kidding. So I can call you if you’d like.”

“Um, yeah. That’d be nice.”

I laughed at the surprise in her voice.

She must have heard it too. “You’re a smug prick.”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Let me give you my number.”

I wrote it down.

“So,” she said, “you were explaining your perverted sex life?”

“Be careful with the words you throw around,” I said. “Lots of people would say being a lesbian is perverted. So don’t judge me, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, chastened. “I’ll give you that… you never make me feel immoral or unnatural or anything.”

“You’re completely natural. Trust me. I haven’t met many true lesbians, but I know a lot of women who’re bi. Some are like Daphne, just doing it because men have really screwed ’em over.” I thought of Stacy when I’d first met her. “But others, like a friend of mine… She and my mom have been lovers for a long time. And I don’t mean ‘best friends’ or a girl-crush. I mean genuine love.”

“I knew you weren’t normal! I don’t mean that in a bad way,” she said quickly. “I just knew you had something in your past—”

“In my present.”

“—in your present, then… to where you weren’t a judgmental asshole.”

“Oh, I’m a judgmental asshole all right. Just not about sex and love.

Lemme finish my story about Christy. Then you’ll see.”

“Okay, but hurry it up. Daphne will be home soon.”

“Yeah.” I looked at my watch. “And it’s almost midnight here. So I have to go soon myself. Anyway, here’s my ‘judgmental asshole’ story.” I told her about the Halloween party, and especially after.

“Sounds like she likes you too,” Sara said.

“She does, but there’s a catch. She’s religious.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Exactly. Catholic.”

“No shit? Did I ever tell you I was raised Catholic?”