Page 7 of Just For Her

Chrissy shrugged. “Believe it or not, I’ve always liked him. I daresay Ilovehim. Is he the kind of guy I saw myself marrying when I was a girl playing bridal princess? No. Nor would my parents ever approve… but he’s hilarious. He’s always treated me right. I can tell hereallythinks I’m beautiful and isn’t only saying that. Most of all, he doesn’t want more kids. Some of those guys want to keep popping them out with younger women because it makes them feel virile. Not Huey. Like I said… thank God.”

“He’s active, too. You guys go skiing much this season?”

“Oh, yeah.” Chrissy returned to putting away the vegetable scraps she’d later use for soup stock. “We’ve hit Bachelor a couple of times since Christmas, but he’s jonesing to head up to Hood for a weekend. Just don’t know when we’ll get the chance, although it sounds like there’s some serious snow coming next week. But…”

“What?”

“I’d feel bad leaving you behind so soon after you’ve arrived! We haven’t had time to hang out at all.”

“We’re hanging out right now.”

“Yeah, but I wanna show youaround.Oh, I know.” The sink turned on and as quickly turned off. “Huey flies back in from San Francisco tonight. How about the three of us hit one of our fave spots downtown? It’s a mid-sized bar with all the fixings, including some of the best cheese you’ve ever had paired with a glass of red. I mean, I call it a bar, but it’s swanky.”

“Sure, I guess.”

“There’s a bonus.” That smile implied that Chrissy had been waiting to talk about this ever since her friend arrived from Portland. “It’s one of the first places I went on a date with Huey because he already wanted to introduce me to his friends. So, it’sthatkind of place.”

“Hm?”

“Kay, it’s where older people with money like to hang out on the weekend. A lot of them are already married and not looking, but there are also plenty who are, um, open to an experience. Maybe I could have him find out if any of his single friends want to come tonight.”

“Oh, God, you haven’t told him why I’m really here, have you?”

“No way. Yet if he did know, I doubt he’d judge you. He’d have no room to talk, after all, and heloveshis single friends. They’re still having boys’ night a couple of times a month while I sit at home ‘eating bonbons,’ as Huey likes to say.”

Kayla laughed at the way her friend rolled her eyes. “Sure. Sounds fun. Even if I don’t meet anyone good, I’ll at least have a good time with my friend.”

“That’s the spirit. After we get done here, we’ll go through your outfits. Find you something suitably sexy that shows all of Bend what you’ve got to offer her deep pockets.”

“I already know what to wear,” Kayla said with a grin. “Would strapless be too much?”

“Oh, honey, not atall!”

Fridays were the one workday of the week that Tove bothered to go out anywhere after locking up her downtown office. By that time, she usually needed a stiff drink to get her through the weekend.

At least she didn’t see Thomas at Reve’s, a bar that had been his second home before he got serious about kicking his habits.We had our first real serious chit-chat here.Thomas had been sitting on this very stool at this very bar, his head on the counter and his arms wrapped beneath him. Every time his cousin had asked,“What do you really want from your life?”Thomas responded with an agonized groan. Turned out, he had to vomit.

Tonight, Tove was alone. Blissfully, happily alone. Since turning forty-five (let alone fifty) fewer people paid much attention to her at the front bar of Reve’s. The bartenders all knew her, and some of the regulars said hello – let alone any straggling family members who wandered in when she happened to be there – but Tove came here to sort her thoughts and decompress after a long week of dealing with other people’s money.

Especially her own family’s. Most of those people hadwaymore than they knew what to do with.

The night was young, but already the place was packed with small groups and couples out on a date. Few were alone like Tove. With funky jazz playing on the speakers, she flipped through a notebook before turning her attention to her phone. The reception was ass in Reve’s, but she had no problem reading through a Facebook thread about one of her favorite TV shows. (Tove would never offer her thoughts, though. She didn’t need random strangers in her inbox cussing her out again.All because I said that Season 2 was better than 1.Such was social media.)

It almost made her miss the eighties. Almost.

“You’re back.” The bartender said that to someone who had come up beside Tove. “Want something else?”

An iridescent green dress caught Tove’s eye.Green. My weakness.A woman in a green dress was as dire to Tove’s arousal as a naked woman on her bed. Not that she had known what that was like lately.

“Lovedthe Jack on the rocks you made me earlier.” That voice sounded familiar. “I think I’ll wind down with a glass of wine, though. What do you recommend? I like it red.”

Tove kept her eyes pointing straight ahead, even when a black purse with a gold chain appeared beside her arm. “Right now, you can’t go wrong with the Bel Cielo 2018. Especially if you like it a bit dry.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Hit me up.”

The bartender surveyed the wine bottles on his shelf. The woman next to Tove sat on the nearest stool while waiting for her glass.

They happened to look at each other at the same time.

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