Page 62 of That One Heartbreak

“What? Why? Was he there? Oh, my God did you two…” Shana sounded like she was a second away from combusting. “Why wasn’t this the first topic of conversation? Parents, schmarents. I need the Marley gossip.”

“It’s not as exciting as you’re thinking.” Okay, that wasn’t strictly true. But she knew Shana’s mind. A truck staying over meant a man staying over. “He had a glass of wine and walked home. Said he’d pick it up this morning.”

“So what happened when he did?”

“I messaged him and asked him to sneak it away.” And she felt terrible about that. She really did. She owed him anexplanation. Sure, she could have introduced him to her mom and he’d see it for himself, but she didn’t want to scare him away.

Not more than she already had.

“Why would you tell him to sneak around outside?” Shana asked. “Are you sure you two aren’t doing it?”

“We’re not doingthat, no.” She took a deep breath. “We might have been kissing a lot, though.”

“What kind of kissing?” Shana sounded excited.

“The kind that involves lips.”

That made her friend laugh. “Stop this. Come on, I need more.”

“There is no more. That’s it,” Kate told her.

“Damn, that’s a shame. Oh, by the way, did I tell you about the guy who messaged me last week?”

“Was this the one you went on a date with last night?”

“Oh god no, a different one. This was a guy from Winterville. Where we went last summer.”

“I remember.”

“Well, apparently he’s a huge Christmas fan. So much so that he likes to dress his little Saint Nick up in a red robe and send pictures.”

“Hislittle Saint Nick?” Kate repeated. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Oh yeah. Had a little red hat with a white cotton ball too.”

“STOP!” Kate was giggling now. Was this what the world was coming to? Dick pics dressed as Santa.

“That’s not all,” Shana continued. “He started asking me about my Mary Christmas. I’ve never blocked a guy quicker in my life. How am I going to binge watch Hallmark Christmas movies without thinking of him now? So I need the details, lady. Give me all of them. Unless he likes to dress his pecker up…”

“Eww. He doesn’t.”

“So you’ve seen his pecker! Gotcha.” Shana sounded ecstatic. “It’s big, isn’t it? Oh my god, no Little Saint Nick there.”

“If you mention Little Saint Nick again I’m hanging up,” Kate warned. “And no, I haven’t seen it.”

“Have you felt it?”

“Possibly.” Her cheeks pinked at the memory of him pushing against her. How damn thick he felt. She let out a soft breath.

“Yass! I need to know everything now. I promise not to interrupt. The last thing I knew he was babysitting while you were dating another guy. What happened?”

The truth was, Kate did need to talk to somebody about this. Keeping it buried was making her feel panicky. She quickly filled her friend in, and by some minor miracle, Shana managed not to interrupt until Kate finished talking.

Then, of course, she exploded.

“Dude! Oh my God. You’re kissing. You’re making him hard. And he loads the dishwasher. You need to get a ring on it and fast.”

“Don’t.” Kate shook her head. “You sound like my mom again.”

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