Julianna walked over and sat down on a chair in front of me. “Then why didn’t you answer my question?” There was no hiding the look of confusion on my face, so I just let out a big sigh. She shook her head at me. “That’s what I thought. I’ve always known when something was wrong with you. Spill it.”
“I slept with Richard last night.” I just vomited out the words without restraint.
Julianna let out a gasp so loud that our mother came running back in. “What’s wrong? Is it the dress? Did you spill something on it?”
Julianna turned around and looked at her. “Nothing, Mom. Can you give us a few minutes?”
She nodded and left, no doubt curious as to what we were discussing.
“I am so happy! Just think, if you two start dating, then we can go on double dates! I know Richard’s so happy to have Jake back in town, and-“
I shook my head and held up my hands. “I can’t date him, Julianna. And who knows if he even wants to date me.”
Julianna let out a sigh and sat back in her chair.
“Not every guy is going to be like your ex-boyfriend.” Her voice had taken on a much calmer tone, and deep down, I knew she was right. Just thinking about my ex made my skin crawl. “I mean, look at Jake and me. You remember when we first started dating.”
I nodded, remembering how nervous and scared she was of dating him. After being good friends in high school, Jake had left River Valley and became a billionaire womanizer in San Diego. Yet there he was, getting married and settling down in his small-town, childhood home.
“That was different, though. You guys were friends. Richard and I are just neighbors.”
“You guys text a lot, though, right?”
I shrugged my shoulders. We sent each other funny memes, kept up to date with each other’s lives, but that was about it. “I think it’s best that we just leave it as a one-night stand, Julianna. He and I just don’t seem like we belong together. Plus, you know the kind of life that he leads.”
“I think you’re just putting up a wall, Annie. You know, it’s okay to care about someone.”
I smiled, realizing that she was right as usual. I was putting up a wall.
“It’s not just the whole thing with my ex, though. Richard has such a complicated life. I mean, he’s working 12, sometimes 14-hour days, and then goes to bars on the weekends. I’m a yoga instructor who promotes a holistic lifestyle. When you put us side by side, we’re opposite.”
She put her hand on my knee. “And opposites attract. Maybe Richard needs someone like you to bring him back down to earth, and I know you need someone like him to shake things up.”
“Hey, my life isn’t boring.”
She laughed a little bit.
“I’m not saying that it’s boring, but Richard could bring a little spice into it.”
Just then, Caley walked into Julianna’s bedroom, her hair in curlers, wearing a bathrobe.
I stood up quickly and furrowed my brow. “I thought your hair was going to be straight today? Who put curlers in?”
Our mother came walking in behind Caley.
“If you insist on wearing bright pink lipstick, then why not have Caley wear curls? Besides, I think she’s going to look very pretty with curly hair. Won’t you, dear?”
Caley looked at me and then Julianna. She didn’t seem very happy.
“They’re too hot,” she said, putting her hands on the top of her head.
“For goodness sake, don’t touch them, honey. Trust me on this one, okay?” Our mother turned to us. “Are you done with girl time? Because Caley needs her makeup done, you need to put your dress on, and Annie needs to get dressed!”
Julianna winked at me and then stood up, telling Caley to sit down at her vanity. I pulled out a fresh set of makeup brushes while our mother helped Julianna get into her gown.
Butterflies formed in my stomach as I thought about Richard. He was, without a doubt, the hottest man I had ever slept with. I couldn’t even remember the last time I saw a more attractive guy. I just about melted when he took off his shirt, revealing that gorgeous body of his.
And the actual sex… Good grief.
