Page 59 of Nocere

"Is your new girlfriend going?"

"Yes."

"What's the matter, Rosie? Do you need a cuddle?" She held her arms out to me and I laughed.

"Stop it. I'm fine. I want to go because Samirah will be there, but I'm nervous," I said, then took a bite of my sandwich.

"I'll be there. I'm always there."

"Is Frankie going?"

"Not sure." She scrunched up her nose. "Probably."

"Stay away from her."

"I will. I think Billie and Mira are coming this time, too."

"Quit crushing on Billie. She and Mira are practically engaged," I said, rolling my eyes at her.

Alex laughed and shook her head. "I'm not crushing on her."

"You are. It's been like a year. Calm down. She only has eyes for Mira."

"I know. I would've liked to date her though…"

"Well, you had good taste in that area. Normally, you pick women who treat you poorly. Billie would've been good to you," I said, and returned to eating my lunch.

"She would've been." Alex propped her head on her arm. "She probably wouldn't have been into a homeless hairdresser anyway."

"You're not homeless. You live here right now."

"I have nothing, Rosie." She folded up the bag of chips and set it on the coffee table. "Nothing to show for my life and I'm thirty-five."

"You have a full-time job, money in the bank, food on the table, and you're not a hooker or a drug addict. We both beat the foster system odds." I smirked when I said it, then handed her the other half of my sandwich. "And you have me."

"Yeah." She accepted the offering then scooted closer to me. "I have you." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she leaned on me while we ate, both of us fading back into watching television.

The doorbell buzzed and I cocked a brow at Alex mid-bite of my lunch.

"What? Does that mean I have to get it?" She huffed at me.

"Yep." I chuckled and waved her off after returning my attention to the news.

"This is what paying no rent gets me," she muttered as she rose to open the door. It only made me laugh more as I reached for my pop.

"Hi. Yes. She's here," I heard Alex say. I turned, but couldn't see who stood on the other side of the door. "Come in."

"Thank you, Alex." Samirah's voice in my apartment made me choke on my drink. I set my plate on the coffee table while coughing up a lung. Thankfully, I caught my breath by the time she made it over to me.

"You have company," Alex announced in a silly sing-song before she hopped back onto the sofa.

Samirah laughed, her eyes twinkling when she gazed at me. "Hi, Rosie."

"H-hi." I gulped, and fidgeted with the sleeves of my sweatshirt. "What-what's going on?"

Her smile broadened as she approached, her hands outstretched. "I came to ask you something."

"Me?" I stepped closer and took her hands. Right away, she leaned down to kiss me and the moment her lips met mine, my anxiety cooled. Heat radiated from her and when she leaned back, I noted the glassy nature of her eyes.

---