Page 62 of Once Bitten
“Not a thing,” Jordyn admitted and was about to open her messages again when Dora grabbed the phone out of her hand.
“None of that right now, okay?” Dora placed the phone on the coffee table and hugged her friend. “Just take a deep breath and relax.”
“Sorry,” Jordyn apologized and leaned into Dora’s hug. “How was your date with Jamie?” she asked, desperate for something else to think about other than why Steve had not texted or called her.
“I—uh,” Dora began and blushed. “I didn’t want to, you know, bring it up with how things are with you and Steve right now. I mean, I’m not even sure I should have said yes to the second one with how it is, but...” She twisted her hands and trailed off, but Jordyn caught her hand.
“Hey, don’t be like that. I want to hear all about it, okay?” Jordyn gave Dora a genuine smile and squeezed her friend’s hand.
“Who’s Jamie?” Tina asked, taking a drink of her soda and looking at them with interest.
“Jamie is Steve’s best friend and roommate,” Jordyn explained. “Business partner, too.”
Tina nodded before pointing a finger at Dora. “Spill.”
“Exactly!” Jordyn added, and Dora sighed with a smile, leaning back on the couch.
“Okay, okay!” She waved a hand and pulled her knees up before she began her story. “Our date was...you know, nice. We went out to Bocelli's for dinner then we just talked...and talked, and we walked around the park for what felt like forever before he brought me home.” Dora grinned and touched her lips. “He is a great kisser.”
“So there was a kiss!” Tina whooped.
“Oh yeah, and we have another date tomorrow.” Dora smiled and looked shyly at Jordyn. “Is that okay?” she asked.
“Yes, that’s more than okay. Jamie is great,” Jordyn assured her friend. “Really, please, go out with him again.”
“If you’re sure...” Dora looked at Jordyn again before her friend gave her a light bump with her shoulder.
“Of course I am!” Jordyn exclaimed. “Seriously, I want you two to have all the fun. Really.”
“Thank you.” Dora bumped her shoulder against Jordyn’s. “Steve will come around,” she said softly.
“He’d be an idiot not to,” Tina supplied.
“Thanks,” Jordyn replied but didn’t look up from where her gaze had fallen to the floor. “Let’s not talk abo—”
“Why don’t you just, you know, go and win him back?” Tina asked, interrupting her.
Jordyn looked up from the floor in surprise and bit her lip. She blew out a sigh. “I don’t know if he wants me to talk to him. I already went by where he worked, and well, yeah...” She shrugged. “We’ve seen how communicative he’s been since I did that.”
“Well...he is going to be at the Velvet Throne tonight. Sooooo… what if you just, oh, I don’t know, ran into him?” Dora asked.
“How do you know that?” Jordyn asked a little too quickly. An ache began to pulse in her chest at Dora’s casual knowledge of where Steve would be while she’d been shut out. It hurt to know that he was out there, living his life and that Dora knew about it while she had radio silence. She’d been a part of his world, until their fight she’d felt like his world but now she couldn’t even talk to him.
“Jamie told me last night that there’s a shop party going on. It’s one of the guys' birthday tonight.” Dora shifted and tried to keep her tone bright despite the pained look that passed over Jordyn’s face for a moment before she was smiling at her again.
“Oh, okay.” Jordyn pushed a hand through her hair but didn’t say anything else. She wasn’t going to give into the ache that was threatening to consume her. She wouldn’t do it.
“Oh, okay?” Tina asked, crossing her arms. “No, not oh, okay. Go find something slutty to wear so we can show up there with you looking sexy and win that idiot back.”
“I—what?” Jordyn looked at Tina with raised eyebrows, but Dora nodded enthusiastically.
“That’s a fucking brilliant plan. I have the perfect dress to show off your ass!” Dora exclaimed, leaping to her feet and running out of the room.
“I don’t know,” Jordyn said when Tina started to push her along toward Dora’s room.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Tina asked with an exasperated sigh.
“What if it just makes it worse?”
