Page 91 of Third Time Lucky

‘I don’t even own pants that tight.’

‘Liar. You’ve got skinny jeans. I’ve seen you wear them,’ he argues.

‘Skinny is different than ball hugging.’

‘You got tiny balls, do ya?’ he teases. ‘It’s not a problem; just stuff a sock down there. Every eighties star did it.’

The image of famous stars from decades past with socks stuffed in their pants to impress women, and probably other dudes, is slightly disturbing.

‘Well, four decades later, in the present day, men don’t do that,’ I state matter-of-factly.

‘Pfffftttt… I bet they do; our socks are just smaller now.’

A snort of disbelief escapes my lips. Why are our conversations always unhinged? I never know where they will lead, but that’s part of the fun.

‘Talk,’ he commands. ‘Did she love the S’mores cheesecake thing? Did she love my rooftop love nest?’

My mind flashes back to Lucy, when she walked onto the roof, her eyes closing with a slight hum of ecstasy as she took a bite of the cheesecake, the way her lips felt on mine. I have to force myself to focus, or I’d have been imagining something very X-rated – Aaron style.

‘You nailed it with the rooftop love nest – though please stop calling it that.’

‘Yes!’ He exclaims. ‘IknewI was romantic.’

Also, despite how it sounds, Aaron was not the genius behind the cheesecake creation. I was rambling on the phone with him while flipping through my gazillion cookbooks and stumbled upon two recipes that seemed meant for each other – cheesecake and homemade marshmallows.Voila!The cake that nearly sent her into an orgasmic state was born.

‘She definitely loved all of it. She practically melted in her seat when she took a bite.’

‘Hot!’ he utters. ‘But wait, it’s midnight, you’re home talking to me, and I hear no heavy breathing or moaning. Couldn’t seal the deal?’

‘You think I’d answer your call if I was in the middle of that?’

‘I dunno why you wouldn’t. I do,’ he reminds me.

‘I know…’ I groan. ‘But no, I didn’t try to defile this woman as soon as she allowed it – I respect her. I’m thinking I want to try to make this into something long term.’

‘Ew,’ he groans. ‘You and your lovey-dovey nonsense.’

‘Someone’s got to balance out your eternal bachelor vibes.’

We fall into our usual rhythm of banter and shared jokes, the easy comfort of our relationship wrapping around me like a familiar blanket.

As much as I enjoy our conversation, my mind keeps drifting back to Lucy, how she smiled when she saw the mural, and how her eyes lit up when she tasted the cheesecake. I can still feel her hand in mine, our fingers interlaced as a spark of electricity passed between us. Her lips on mine were soft and inviting and tasted like the sweetness of the S’mores cheesecake we had shared earlier. The world around us seemed to disappear as we kissed, and I wanted to stay in that moment forever.

‘I gotta admit,’ I confess to my friend, ‘I think I like her more than you.’

‘Pardon me?’ he says with exaggerated shock.

‘Sorry bud, but Lucy might be stealing your spot as my number one.’

Aaron’s gasp is so dramatic that I can’t help but laugh.

‘You’re kidding, right? You’re choosing some girl over me? We share blood, bro.’

‘She’s not just some girl,’ I defend. ‘She’s like… like a piece of me I didn’t even realize was missing until now.’

‘What the hell am I, then? Chop liver?’

‘Chop liver? You are so outdated,’ I tease. ‘We’re bros, man. I am never choosing to marry and spend my life with you in a million years, but I can see it with Lucy.’

---