Page 141 of February

They turned back to the conversation to see that Sophie was at one end of the booth, across from Bridgette, and Jill was at the other end, across from Kyle. They hadn’t planned this setup very well. The women couldn’t really talk without yelling across the table, but Jill also didn’t seem all that interested. Mostly, she just slowly sipped her drink and listened, occasionally turning her head to watch the dueling pianos on the platform behind them, so it seemed clear to Monica that Jill either wasn’t interested in Sophie or was playing it incredibly cool.

“Hey, are you all right?” Monica asked her when they both decided to line up for the bathroom at the same time.

“Yeah. Why?”

“You just haven’t said that much tonight.”

“Oh, I’m fine. Just a little sad.”

“Sad?”

“It’s great that you and Bridge are together and that Mel and Kyle are a couple planning a future, but I’m still all alone and wondering where my Princess Charming is, I guess.”

“You know, Sophie is–”

“Gay? I kind of figured out the whole setup angle,” Jill replied.

“Not truly a setup. Just an idea. Sophie’s single, too, so I thought–”

“I appreciate your thinking. And she seems nice… I’m just in an off mood tonight.”

Monica then watched as Jill disappeared into the bathroom and waited her turn. When they were both finished, they headed back to the table, where Bridgette and Sophie were laughing about something.

“And she was–” Sophie stopped when she saw Monica standing there.

“Was what?” Bridgette asked.

“Uh… Nothing. She was just the best boss in the entire world and did nothing worth making fun of ever.”

Monica sat down next to Bridgette and said, “Hi, babe.”

“No!” Bridgette laughed. “Soph was just about to finish telling me an embarrassing story about you.”

“I gathered,” she replied and playfully glared at Sophie. “Did you want to continue?”

“Yes, but not with you sitting here. I’ll call Bridgette later and tell her the rest.”

“You two exchanged numbers?” Monica asked.

“We’re starting a group text,” Melinda said.

“Just to make fun of me?”

“No, babe. So that we can all talk easily. You’re in there. You didn’t check your messages, did you?”

“While I was peeing? No, I didn’t,” she replied.

A little while later, Monica was tired, but she was having fun, too. Normally, she’d excuse herself to go home and get some sleep, but Bridgette appeared to be having fun as well, and Monica liked that their hands were joined under the table. She liked it even more when Bridgette’s hand left hers and slid up her thigh, and shelovedit when Bridgette gave her upper inner thigh a squeeze, indicating something Monica was more than up for.

“I think I’m ready to go,” Bridgette said. “Mon?”

“Yes. I mean, whenever is fine with me.”

“Have a good rest of the night,” Melinda teased.

“Oh, I will,” Bridgette stated.

Monica looked at Sophie, who seemed to be fine, and when Sophie nodded that shewas, Monica stood up with Bridgette and took her hand. Then, she looked around at her friends, some new and one old, and decided that shedidfeel like she fit in here, after all. Bridgette led them outside, and they walked at a leisurely pace despite the fact that they both had things in mind for when they got back to Bridgette’s place.

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