Page 3 of Love in Focus

“I forgot her name, and I don’t think I’m supposed to share it anyway because she’s not one hundred percent confirmed yet,” Kiara says sheepishly. “But I remember seeing from her bio that she went to UCLA like you. And like I said, she’s pretty. She looks like a model herself!”

I frown. My college ex, Celeste, was a photographer, but so were countless other women who went to my alma mater. I shake my head, like doing so will get rid of my thoughts of her.

Val raises her eyebrows. “Man, the way you’re talking about her, I guess I should consider myself lucky that you’re not into other femmes.”

Kiara giggles, giving Val’s arm a squeeze. “Oh, stop! And even if I were into both femmesandmascs, you know you’re irreplaceable to me. There’s no one else in the entire universe I’d rather date than you.”

“I’m kidding,” Val says, giving her a peck on the cheek. “Same here.”

Suddenly feeling verypainfullysingle, I stare up at the overhead menu.

Since I’m not in my early twenties anymore, I usually try to choose the healthier options, like the salads or veggie wraps. But today, I’m famished. And I need a little pick-me-up. My stomach is already growling from the rich smells of sweetly marinated beef permeating the air, so I decide on the Texas barbecue sandwich.

“Didn’t you say you dated a photographer in college once?” Val suddenly asks me then. “Your ‘the one who got away’?”

Kiara gasps. “Ooh, yeah! The roommate who made you realize you’re not straight, right?”

“Yup,” I reply with a sigh. “But it’s probably not her. She broke up with me and moved back to Seoul during the winter break of our senior year without telling me why.”

“Damn,” says Val. “How long were you guys together?”

“A little over a year,” I reply. “From fall quarter of junior year to the winter break of senior.”

I’ve tried my best to talk about Celeste very minimally with my friends over the last several years, since (1) it’s painful, and (2) I could pretty much predict what they’d say about her. So I’m not surprised when Val replies with, “Alittle over a year… duringcollege? Wow, you two were basically engaged, then! As far as sapphics go, anyway.”

I sigh. “Yeah. We had all these plans of what we were going to do after graduation. And then she just… disappeared one day.”

Kiara grasps my arm, a pitying look on her face.

I turn away, refocusing on the menu. “Anyway, our school has one of the best photography programs in the country, and I’m sure a lot of alumni stay in state afterward, so it could be anyone, really.”

“For your sake, I hope the photographer they hired is gay,” Val remarks. “Like, even if she’s not your ex. You deserve a sexy rebound.”

I snort. “I’m not looking to date anyone anytime soon.” The guy in front of me finishes ordering, so I add, “Right now, the only hot thing making my heart flutter is a smoky barbecue sandwich.”

Kiara and Val laugh, and I wink at them before placing an order for the true love of my life.

My resolve to stay single and focus on myself lasts for two weeks, until I walk in on James making out with one of my coworkers in the printer room.

She’s mostly covered by him, but even so, I recognize Daphne Smith right away because, with her five-foot-eight height and long golden locks, she’s a total Greek goddess of a human being who looks like she could be onBachelor in Paradise. James has her pushed up against the far side wall, in a corner that’s out of the overhead security camera’s field of view, a fact I know becauseJames and Ihave made out before in that very spot.

My stomach drops, and I freeze from the sheer shock of it all. The three of us are alone in the small space, and James and Daphne would have totally noticed me walking in if they hadn’t been so disgustingly all over each other. Thankfully, they both still have their clothes on, but from thenoises they’re making, they may as well be naked. Sultry moans escape from Daphne’s mouth, while James sounds like a cross between a caveman and a porn star.

I try to remember if he always sounded like that. If he did, I must have gotten used to it in my seven years of dating him. Suddenly, I feel very, very sorry for Past Gemma. And not only because she just walked in on her ex.

Belatedly, I turn around, deciding to get the papers I printed later. But before I can leave the room, the door opens, revealing Shane, one of my other coworkers.

Fuck.

Three things happen, in quick succession.

“Oh hey, Gemma,” Shane says. “Is the printer jammed—”

James yells, “Shit!”

“Oh God!” Shane cries out, covering his eyes.

James and Daphne jump apart, and I mentally scream.

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