Page 8 of One More Round

"When two people in the same group of friends, who so outwardly don't get along suddenly have a conversation, it's the equivalent of breaking news. Come on, Miss Hollywood reporter. You should know this," Ruby says, frankly.

I can't help laughing.

"Well, here's my official statement."

"Wait, so this is on the record?" she cuts in.

"Yes. That's what an official statement means, dummy." I'm lying on my side, I smack her on the leg with the arm I'm not lying on.

"OK, I'm listening ...," she muses. I roll my eyes.

"It wasn't a conversation. It was him getting a drink and me doing dishes. Him getting in my way and me telling him to mind his business. You can get off me now." I try to buck her off, but she doesn't move.

"But why was he in your way, and what business of yours did he want to get into?" She asks this almost suggestively.

"Nope. No more questions. There wasn't a real conversation. You got the official statement. Get off and let it go."

She harrumphs and then jumps off.

"Gia. You are impossible sometimes. We all know something more is going on between the two of you. I just wish you'd trust Morgan and me enough to share it with us," Ruby says with defeat.

Well, dang it. Now I feel bad. I do trust them. But I don't think I can tell them bits and pieces of my history without telling them all of it. Talking about Simon, and how we used to be, will make me want things I know I can't have.

I sigh.

"Rube, I do trust you and Morgan. You two are like my sisters. But, really. You know everything important. Everything else is irrelevant."

She studies me for a beat. Her soft red hair up in a messy bun brings out all her features. Her full lips pout briefly and then she smiles at me. She flops into the chair.

I can tell by her face that she has accepted defeat and is moving on. For now. Morgan enters from her room, looking quite happy.

"So, what are we doing today, ladies?"

I start to sit up on the couch as Ruby casually answers her.

"Well, I made us an appointment. So, we actually need to leave in a few."

Hmm. She looks like the cat that ate the canary.

"And where, pray tell, are we going?" I question.

She sucks in a breath, looking ready to burst.

"We are going to see a palm reader. Yay!"

What? Uh, no.

"Oh, really? I've always wanted to go to a fortune teller, but you know, just for the experience," Morgan says as she sits down beside me.

Ruby leans forward with excitement but I cut in first.

"Yeah, I'm not going to go see a palm reader."

Ruby rolls her eyes as Morgan asks why.

"Because I think it’s a scam and I don't really feel like wasting my money."

Morgan contemplates this, and Ruby just rolls her eyes.

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