Page 4 of Even In Our Dreams

“I’m not …” I answer, swallowing thickly and making doubly sure that the clipboard is in fact still blocking her view so she doesn’t know exactly what she does to me and how very little control I have around her.

“Me either….” she says and adds, “The worst part about being single is going out to restaurants alone.”

“Do you want a date?” I ask and then reconsider how I phrased the question. “I mean to a restaurant; we can catch up … if you want?”

“You kind of owe me a drink since you got a free show,” she jokes.

I smirk, “Dinner tonight? That seafood place by the lake?”

“A girl is never supposed to accept a date offered the day of.” My heart drops but picks right back up when she finishes her thought. “Luckily I’m terrible at dating and I love lobster.”

I’m stunned for a moment. I’m going to go out on a date with Bree.

“Not that I would order the lobster,” she rushes out the words when I stay silent a little too long.

Fuck, I love how nervous I make her. I hope that’s a sign that I get to her too. That would only be fair considering the chokehold she has over me.

“It would be fine if you did,” I tell her, offering as charming of a smile as I can manage.

“Yes, tonight sounds wonderful,” she agrees and with that I head out, telling her I’ll text her and bringing up the clipboard to motion, “this is your number right?”

She nods and then her gaze drops.

Fuck.

“Yes. Yes it is.” she says, struggling to bring her eyes back up.

Fuck, fuck, fuck; the clipboard is lowered again as my cheeks blaze and I tell her, “I’ll see you tonight then.”

Her voice carries behind me as I make my way out as fast as I can, “Looking forward to it.”

AUBREY

The swing’s gentle creak is almost drowned out by the unison laughter from my neighbors. It’s become a habit of ours, cocktails and gossip on Marlena’s porch right around 4 or 5pm every Wednesday night, depending on how desperate we are for the day to be over. Most of us work from home, we all live on Cedar Lane and Marlena is kind enough to host … and kind enough to watch us all waddle home if we’ve had a few too many. I know first-hand Lauren can drag me onto my sofa and will tuck the throw around me if the wine goes down a little too easy.

She’s the one next to me on the swing, keeping the rhythm of it with Gemma and Marlena in the wicker chairs across from us. Marlena’s patio is a suburban dream design straight from the catalogs. With potted petunias, deep gray painted floors, a viridian door and a white railing, she thought about every detail. Or at least her designer did. Even the straws in her cocktail glasses fit the color palette coming in shades of dark greens and blues.

These three women are the only reason I leave my house some weeks. For laughs and gossip and, glancing down I stir the straw in my drink, a damn good sangria.

“So are they dating then?” Marlena says lowly, a spark of mischief in her eyes and a smile plastered on her face as she questions.

“Well if they aren’t,” Gemma answers between sips, “they are most certainly screwing.”

Lauren claps leaning back in her chair, “It’s about time they went for it!”

Gemma’s coworkers have been the topic of conversation for weeks now. From the two coworkers staring a little too long, leaving work early at the same time and most recently, staying later together and getting caught red handed.

“I hope they are,” my little romantic heart speaks for me, “they would make such a cute couple.”

“I’m just happy she’s getting laid. It’s been years, hasn’t it?” Lauren questions. She’s far more… reasonable than me. More grounded. Whereas any of these ladies would say I live in a happy little bubble. I guess when you’re an editor of fantasy sagas and romance novels it’s easy to get lost in a world that lends itself to happily ever afters.

The conversation continues but the typical giddiness is replaced by a nervousness I’ve felt ever since I left the doctor’s office.

Marlena’s house is just across the street from me and I find myself glancing up to look at my driveway as Gemma continues filling us in on the details of the office drama.

He should be here in the next twenty minutes.

“What time is he coming again?” Lauren asks and I turn to see all three of them staring at me. Gem is at odds with Marlena in the clothing department, a cotton sundress right beside gray sweats and a simple cotton tee.

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