Page 76 of That First Flight

This entire conversation has me very curious about what’s inside these books. I won’t sit here and try to deny that Ihavethought about watching porn once or twice to see how to do things. But something about watching it in the same house as your parents is just uncomfortable.

So, out of fear, I never even attempted it. I mostly didn’t want to get caught and give them leverage on something that it would get my daughter taken away from me.

But I’m not there anymore.

I’m here, on track to living out my dreams, free from the chains of them.

“Okay,” I sit up straighter in my chair. “Color me curious here. Give me one of these books and I’ll give it a shot.”

“Yes!” Avery punches the air.

Kali grabs my phone and downloads an app where I’ll be able to read. She adds me to her unlimited plan without even asking questions.

I can’t help but smile again at this group of girls who just do anything for each other.

A sisterhood I’ve only ever dreamed of.

“Okay, I put a cowboy romance on there. It’s one of our all-time favorites.”

“You all read it?” I ask.

“I read it twice,” Peyton says, holding up two fingers. “It’s that good. The spice is immaculate.”

“When he says, ‘crawl to me,’ I just die every time.” Kali emphasizes with fluttering eyes.

Crawl to me? I think I’m very much out of my element here, but, strangely, I also feel comfortable enough with them to be vulnerable for a moment despite how experienced these girls are.

“I feel like we’re all good enough friends now, right?” I ask, wringing my hands together with nerves. My heart thunders in my chest at the fear of judgment.

“Obviously,” Avery rolls her eyes.

“I need to admit something to you guys. But I don’t want you guys to judge me for it.”

“We’d never judge you,” Peyton says sympathetically. “This is always a judgment free zone for you, babe.”

I inhale and exhale preparing for the shock that’s about to come.

“So I have a daughter—”

“What? No way? That’s who that little girl who looks like she can be your twin but with blonde hair is?” Avery chuckles.

Kali smacks her arm. “Would you let her speak?”

I let out a nervous laugh. “So I’m obviously not a virgin. But I’m very inexperienced in this realm of things. When I say I’m nervous to read this stuff, I mean it. The only man…” I shake my head of the thoughts, as I release another sigh. “The one and only man I’ve ever been with was the one who got me pregnant.”

I look around the table, and the girls just sit there. Stone faced and repeatedly blinking.

“Are you serious?” Peyton speaks first.

I groan. “You said no judging.”

“No. That’s not what I meant. It’s just that”—her eyes trail me up and down—“you’re so fucking beautiful, babe. When I first saw you, I pictured men lining up on their knees for you.”

“God, we love a man who gets on his knees for a woman.” Avery brings her fingers to her lips and kisses them before releasing them in a chef's kiss.

“We do?” I ask.

“Hell yeah, we do,” Avery exclaims.

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