For the next twenty minutes Rian describes how she had that feeling I was describing in the pit of her stomach the first time she met Dylan. And how she purposely makes her heart-shaped cookies every Valentine’s Day just for him, although he doesn’t know it. That she’s tried to get him out of her mind by dating other people, but no one compares.
Sierra and I are interrupted from telling her how lucky Dylan would be to have someone like her when my phone dings in my purse. If only I wasn’t as transparent as Rian because the smile that transfixes to my face the minute my phone dings is just as blaring as her whimpers. I get up to grab it and then sit back down.
Ethan: As an older brother myself, I feel like it’s my obligation to make sure you got home okay.
I down the last drop of my wine.
Me: Brotherly love?
Ethan: Just plain old stalking.
Me: If you were stalking, you’d already know I’m home.
The three dots appear and my stomach fills with flutters waiting for what he’ll come back with. Just as my phone vibrates, it’s snatched out of my hands.
Sierra waves it back and forth in her hands. “What kind of lines does this guy have to make you smile that way?” She sits down on the couch and Rian slides closer preparing to have a glimpse at my phone too.
I’m usually an open book. Not that I’d share personal intel on Ethan, but checking out his flirtatious lines would be something I would share with my friends. Just not yet.
“It’s nothing.” I hold out my hand.
It’s still so new and fresh and awesome that I’m not ready for anyone to say otherwise. And girls always have their opinions.
Sierra sighs and shakes her head, putting the phone back into my hands. “I can’t wait to meet this guy.”
I ignore her and look at the text.
Ethan: It’s my way to stay undercover. Look like I’m the good guy.
My thumb poised to fire back a response, but I look up to find two women on the couch sulking.
“What?”
Sierra cocks her head to the side. “Have you been out of a girl gang that long?”
I put my phone down on the armrest. “What does that mean?”
“Rian just poured her heart out to you about Dylan. You know all about my obsession with my prince. And here you are all lovesick over a guy and yet we know nothing about him.”
Sierra’s right. She just entered my life again and it’s been a long time since I’ve had true girlfriends I felt like I could be close to.
Me: Well good guy, I’ll see you tomorrow. I have to go gossip about you with my girlfriends.
Ethan: Are you having a pillow fight in your underwear after?
Me: I guess you’ll have to use your spy gear and find out. ;)
I place my phone on the table and refill my glass of rosé, filling up Sierra’s as well. Rian’s half full one still sits on the coffee table.
“It’s crazy. I’ve only known him for twenty-four hours, yet I didn’t want to leave him tonight. He says he can’t date people he works with, but tonight felt like a date from start to finish.”
“You kissed him?” Rian asks, her eyes wide as saucers.
“Or did you sleep with him?” Sierra looks at the clock like she’s trying to do the math.
“No and no, but I would’ve done both if the opportunity presented itself. What does that say about me? I’ve never been someone who sleeps with a guy right away.”
Sierra laughs hysterically. “Um, it says you’re a woman with a sex drive. That you know what you want and it’s your sexy co-worker. Do not let that Italian good girl guilt eat you up inside. Let him eat you up instead.”
“Sierra,” Rian gasps.
I can’t help but laugh. “It’s not that.”
“Are you sure? Your brothers were always warning you about guy’s intentions.” Sierra has a point. My brothers have not only lectured me most of my life about boys who use girls for sex, but I witnessed it firsthand when they did the same. None of them had settled down until recently.
But I’ve had relationships before and I’m not that thirteen-year-old girl who needs advice from anyone.
I pick up the pillow next to me and scream into it.
“What?” Sierra still knows me well. “What did you do?”
I peek over top of it. “Nothing.”
“How do you know she did something?” Rian asks, truly curious. She probably never heard my name until Sierra said I was moving in.
“She’s beating herself up and she only does that when she thinks she’s made a fool of herself.”
I drop the pillow. “Not a fool of myself, but I did make a bet.”
Sierra laughs because she’s her. She’s the same person who found it funny when I bet Tony DeLuca I’d eat a cricket for every touchdown he threw that Friday night. In my defense, he was saying my brothers weren’t worthy of their legendary status at our high school and he hadn’t even thrown a touchdown yet that year. Family sticks up for family and I ate four crickets for the Mancini family that year.
“What was the bet?” Sierra leans forward.
“We’re writing opposing articles and whoever gets the most comments on their side has to buy the other lunch for a week.”
They both stare at me like I just admitted to owning six cats.
“What?”
Sierra covers her mouth with her hand as she exaggerates a yawn. “Boring. It’s not even sexual.”
“I don’t think I’m his type.”
Rian quirks an eyebrow. “You’re everyone’s type.”
“I’ve tried everything I can think of to get him to admit we were on a date tonight and he wouldn’t budge. And shouldn’t I play hard to get anyway?” Maybe I do need some advice.
The plus side of having three brothers should be that I understand men, but they’re as confusing as ever. Then again, once I was in adult relationships, none of them let me come to them for any real advice on the opposite sex. They’d rather imagine me saying the rosary in a head to toe flannel nightgown every night.
“Write the articles and see who wins the bet.” Rian finally sips her wine.
“Then you can make another bet with sexual favors involved.” Sierra waggles her eyebrows.
I roll my eyes in return. I love Sierra and she pulls a side of me out which I adore, but we’re different on some levels. Not good or bad, just different. Then again, I bet she wouldn’t have thrown little hints out there like I did with Ethan. Sierra would’ve thrown herself at him and gotten what she wanted. Just like she did when we were fourteen and at the mall to buy Justin Timberlake’s new CD. She flirted with a guy in the store and I ended up waiting on a bench with his friend while she did whatever she did in the photo booth behind the curtain. She’s always had the self-confidence to go after what she wants, and I’ve always been more reserved. Is that what made our friendship work so well?
“Let me figure out this article first. A little scary with it being the first one I’m writing for the magazine.”