Page 24 of SapphicLover69
“Not personally.” Winter shrank. “No one’s introduced us, and I can’t just walk up to a finalist and start talking to her like I’m somebody.”
The irony hit me like a salty wave.I’m a finalist whom she didn’t know before Thursday night, and she has no trouble talking to me. Although I suppose Tammy did introduce us.
“You aretoosomebody,” I declared with the resounding authority of Aspen Wolfe. “Be bold, Winter. Go talk to her while I hit the lady’s room. Find out why she kept looking at me—or maybe it’s you she has her eye on.” An ugly, jealous impulse swooped through me at the words that had come out of my mouth.She better not be ogling Winter!
“I don’t know.” She tensed with anxiety, twisting her mouth and her fingers. She peered at Jules despairingly.
Placing a steadying hand on the small of her back, I leaned in with my lips a hair from her ear and breathed, “Please. For me?”
Winter exhaled, squared her shoulders, and lifted her chin. Meeting my gaze, she replied, “For you, Aspen.”
She marched across the room like a Christian entering the Roman Circus to face a pride of lions. “Oh, she’s got it bad,” Tammy groaned.
“She may not be the only one,” I muttered and made a beeline for the restroom, unaware if anyone heard me.
By the time I returned, Beth had gotten us all sodas. Elaine had already given her report, and Winter had returned unscathed from her encounter with a revered finalist.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the cold, wet bottle.
“It turns out that Jules Novik was in awe of Winter for gaining Aspen’s favor,” Beth said. “Tammy’s getting set up in the panel room. When it isn’t her turn to read, she’ll have the best seat in the house to watch the audience. This time, I suggest you sit alone, Aspen, to prevent the same kind of attention being drawn to you.”
Well, that was a disappointing proposal, even though it made sense.
Winter stood across from me, and I met her gaze, spying displeasure on her face as well. Her reaction inspired the corners of my lips to curve up, and I winked at her. “Sit with me for lunch and tell me if I need to be jealous of Jules?”
Her distress peeled back to reveal a radiant burst of joy, and Winter nodded. Then off we went to listen to Tammy and several other notable novelists perform passages from their books.
No sooner than I secured a vacant spot near the middle of the large room, I was surrounded by Demi, Nan, and the other one. This was getting ridiculous!
“I didn’t know you’d be here!” Demi exclaimed, staking claim to the empty chair on my left. Nan climbed over half a dozen women to get the seat behind me.
“Why aren’t you reading?” Nan asked.
I flicked a glance at the third young woman who settled in the vacant spot two seats down on my right. I asked the stranger beside me if she’d mind swapping, and soon the third wheel was within the ring of fans.
“I’m here to listen,” I stipulated. “I already gave a presentation, so that’s why I’m not reading.” Then I pinned the dirty-blonde woman with an intense regard. “You never told me your name. My brain needs something to identify you by besides ‘the other one.’”
She spared me a sardonic stare before huffing and rolling her eyes. “Luna. And I don’t like people.”
I cocked my head at her. “Then why are you at a convention abounding with people?”
She shrugged and crossed both her arms and her ankles. “Because I like girls.”
“Fair enough,” I answered.
“OK, folks, it’s time to get started,” opened the sixty-something-year-old moderator for this session. I didn’t know her, just like I didn’t know most of the three-hundred-plus participants. “We have a stellar lineup for you this morning.”
Demi beamed as she sidled closer to my hip. Nope. No Winter Bliss tingles burst into tongues of desirous flame throughout my body because of her nearness, despite the abundance of admiration oozing from Demi’s bubbly core. I was doomed. If I had only responded because of enthusiastic fan-crushing, Demi’s energy should have me on overload. It didn’t.
I’m finally interested in someone new, and she has to live fourteen hundred miles away.Yes, I’d looked it up. Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where you’ll find the perfect blend of big-city attractions with small-town charm.
After enjoying Tammy’s performance and clapping profusely for her, I took a moment to consider Luna. I was certain she harbored some troubling issues. She reminded me of some junior high students who hadn’t figured out who they were or where they belonged yet. To be honest, those questions stayed with many long past their teenage years. She may be like Teresa, unable to be herself at home out of fear. I couldn’t solve her problems, but I could empathize with them. I didn’t get a hateful or aggressive vibe from her, and I moved her down on my mental suspect list. While she might have created a fake social media account to take out her frustrations anonymously online, I couldn’t picture her sending black roses or tearing up my books. She’d wanted one. She’d bought one.
After the reading session, came the lunch break, and I was ready for some fresh air. “Let’s eat at the Pool Bar on the roof,” I suggested.
“It’ll be sweltering,” Beth answered with a horrified expression.
I waved it off. “We can sit in the shade. I’ll bet the view is phenomenal. I’d suggest a swim, but there isn’t time. There’s free time tomorrow, though. What do you say?”
