Page 25 of SapphicLover69
“I looked at the hotel brochure,” Elaine said. “It has salads, sandwiches, nachos, quesadillas, and whatever you want to drink.”
“Baby?” Tammy deferred to Beth.
“Oh, why not?” she consented. “It’ll have a stunning view of the river, like you say.”
As we got in line for the elevators, I glanced around for Jules Novik, hoping she wasn’t plotting to steal Winter’s attentionaway from me. I spied Catherine, exquisitely overseeing the conference booth with a polished smile and graceful manner. R.B. Taylor was still being escorted by her hunky firefighter as they stepped into an elevator. Selina Fowlerton—stunning as always—laughed with a cadre of ageless women across a room swarming with unfamiliar faces.
I checked back at the Femlove Ink table, where it appeared like the ravishing older publisher Valery Preston was trying to seduce Willa Stephenson, another romance author I had chatted with on a few occasions—though whether it was to gain her business or something more personal, I couldn’t tell.
When I caught the jealous glower on Cary’s stony face at their exchange, I couldn’t resist a gleeful smirk.So that’s how it is?I pressed my lips in a tight line and returned my attention to Winter.
“Spill it about Jules Novik,” I commanded, hoping to impress Winter with my forcefulness. “She isn’t trying to lure you away for the rest of the weekend, is she?”
Winter’s infectious laugh lightened my heart. “Nope,” she chirped. “And she couldn’t if she tried.” She grinned with the enthusiasm of one who’d won every award on the docket. “She wanted to know my secret.”
I wouldn’t mind knowing some of your secrets either,I thought, but asked, “Is that so?”
“Yeah, like how I got you to notice me.” The scandalous look in her twinkling, blue eyes had me reeling. Thank goodness the elevator doors opened, and we were compelled to squish in.
“Can someone hit the button for the roof?” Elaine chimed.
The view from the top was placid and awe-inspiring as the lazy Mississippi River traipsed by, undeterred by thetroubles of civilization. I pictured paddlewheel showboats and barges piled with enormous bales of cotton floating into the port instead of oil tankers, cargo vessels stacked with intermodal containers, and sleek passenger cruisers.
Kids laughed as they splashed in the refreshing-looking pool, their parents watching on beneath wide-brimmed hats from loungers along the side. I sipped my iced tea after finishing a tasty quesadilla. Winter and Elaine nibbled from the large plate of nachos they shared while Beth made her way through a salad that looked like it held an entire garden. Tammy had long since polished off her sandwich and chips.
It was nice to laze in a relaxed atmosphere where I didn’t feel pressured to perform or be a certain way or even say anything. I wanted to remember the comfort of this moment when I went back home to folks who either neglected me or wanted something from me whenever we got together. The only in-person friends I could talk to about anything of significance were Tracy—engrossed in the honeymoon stage of her marriage—and Alice—preoccupied with kids and career.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we all lived closer and could get together and hang out on weekends?” It wasn’t a very Aspen Wolfe thing to say. It came out lonely, sentimental, and wishful, straight from the lips of Mary Jones. I didn’t regret it, though. At least I let my walls down enough to be honest for an instant.
“That sounds wonderful,” Elaine concurred. “I’m not the social butterfly at home that I am at these events. I have hardly any queer friends and spend most of the time in my cave reading or writing. To tell the truth, I may not have come at all if not for Beth and Tammy’s insistence.”
“We save up money to attend as many conferences as possible,” Beth said. “It’s where we can connect with people like us. You know Texas,” she added in a sing-song manner and a mocking grin.
“I wouldn’t socialize at all in person if it wasn’t for Beth,” Tammy confessed. “I’d rather chat online with you guys or get lost in historical research for weeks at a time. But we have family and can’t afford to move.”
“I don’t think there’s another gay person in my hometown,” Winter volunteered. “I mean, I met some in college, and now I work at this advanced tech company in Milwaukee. Still, it’s a big city, and, in case you didn’t notice, I’m a little shy.”
After getting a taste, I wanted more and turned my full attention to Winter. “You work for an important tech company?” Remembering what she said about being shy and recalling her not having shared anything personal, I took a risk. “I used to be an English teacher.”
She met my gaze, revealing her curiosity. “Yeah? I’ve got a master’s degree in robotics engineering. Milwaukee has several innovative outfits developing all kinds of pioneering technologies.”
“You’re a robotics engineer?” I blinked, trying not to look too amazed, even though it’s how I felt.She must make a ton of money.
(Don’t judge me. I see you reading this judging me, thinking I’m shallow. Tell me you didn’t think the same thing! What if I’d thought,She must be really smart?Of course, I thought that too. And if you recall, I liked her before finding out about her career. It’s hard not knowing what your next month’s paycheck will be, having no set income to count on. What I made was strictly based on book sales, and it could vary widely from month to month. You don’t know the fear that accompanies that kind of insecurity until you’ve been there. Starving artist; don’t forget it.)
“Pardon me for asking, but how old are you?”
“Twenty-six.” Winter’s smug look of pleasure made me laugh and shake my head. “Why? How old did you think I was?”
I’m not sure there was a safe answer to that question.Nine years younger isn’t as bad as I had imagined.
“Oh, hey, hate to break up the getting-to-know-you exchange, but we need to hurry to make the next class,” Tammy said. She stood and stretched, prompting me to follow.
“I mean it.” I directed my gaze to Tammy. “You guys are my closest friends—and I just met a couple of you. Now, do me a favor and don’t go telling everyone else how pathetic I am.”
Tammy flung an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a side hug. “Aspen—because you are Aspen Wolfe, even if you don’t know it yet—we’d never dream of it! Far be it for us to repeat the foolish notion that beneath your allure, fame, and fortune, you’re nothing but a mortal human being after all.”
Chapter 14
