Page 31 of Back On Ice

I need to work. If I’m not working, what’s going to stop me from remembering the way Carter’s hand gripped my neck when he pulled me in for that kiss? Or the way his eyes twinkled when I tossed some of his own attitude back at him at breakfast this week?

Or imagining what those hands might feel like as he strips me naked?

Shit. See?

Frustrated, I scroll to Abbie’s name in my phone.

She answers on the third ring. “Hey babe, what’s up?”

“I got grounded,” I pout, causing Abbie to burst into laughter.

“You’re twenty-seven years old, Soph. How did you get grounded?”

“My mom… she called both my jobs and sent Tom and Jordan away for the weekend so I can have a ‘weekend off’.” I find myself doing air quotes even though Abbie can’t see me.

“Did she say no friends?” Abbie teases, getting her laughter under control.

“She didn’t.” I play along. “You wanna come over?”

I hear her smile through the phone. “I’ll be there in an hour.”

An hour later, I open the door after the doorbell rings to find Abbie balancing a box of donuts in one hand and carrying a little cardboard drink caddy in the other.

“Have I told you how much I love you?” I ask, taking the drinks from her and almost drooling at the iced coffees inside.

“Not today.” She winks as she walks past me into the house.

“Then… I love you.” I glance down and see the caramel drizzle on my coffee. “A lot.”

She only cackles as she walks inside, setting the box of donuts on the table.

We sit on the couch, and I take a long sip of the salted caramel goodness in my iced coffee.

“So…” Abbie starts, flipping open the box and taking out a chocolate long john. “Have you given any more thought about talking to Carter?”

Damn, straight to the point.

“Yeah, I mean, I talked to Tom on Monday night about everything and you’ve both made some very… valid points. I know I need to clear the air, but I’ve been so busy…”

Abbie levels me with a look that saysdo you really think I’m that stupid?“Uh huh. Yeah, sure. I call bullshit. You’re stalling, and you know it.”

“I guess I’m nervous about what he might say,” I admit, holding on to my coffee tightly. What if we talk and I still can’t forgive him? Or… what if Ican? What would that mean for us?

“I mean, even if you’re not going to talk to him,” she grins and takes a sip of her drink, “you should totally get laid because you can’t just be celibate forever. I’m always in a better mood after a good fuck.”

I can’t help the quick flush of my cheeks and the thought that, at the very least, my body still likes him. “That’s why they’ve made technological advancements that allow me to have an orgasm without having sex with my cheating, ghosting ex.”

“Oh sure,” Abbie nods sarcastically, “that’s why you agreed to go on a date with Oscar.”

A shudder practically overtakes me at the thought of my short-lived fling with Oscar Davis. I had known he had a crush on me in high school, and he had always been as sweet as he was dorky, even if the attention was unwanted. Not that he was a bad guy, he just never seemed to get the picture that I wasn’t interested in him. He seemed to have it in his head that if Carter and I ever broke up, he would be “next in line”. And while he never did anything directly disrespectful of our relationship, his expectation gave me a weird feeling.

He went through a major transformation after graduation. Hit the gym and switched his glasses for contacts, and as a result, seemed to gain a bit of confidence. Thinking back, it might have been because Carter wasn’t around, so he didn’t have any “competition”.

Two years ago, he asked me out, and I finally gave him a shot. We went on a few dates, but there wasn’t any chemistry, at least not on my end. He’s a sweet guy, and I enjoyed his company well enough, but eh.

He was upset, but understanding when I told him we shouldn’t see each other again. About six months ago, hestarted trying again, asking me out every couple of weeks. It’s exhausting.

“Okay, no more sulking about men!” Abbie announces, jolting me out of my daze. I didn’t realize I was staring off into space until she had raised her eyebrow at me. “Let’s have a girl day. We’ll watch movies, do our nails, and tonight, we’ll go out and meet some new guys.”

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