Martha points toward the door, where I see Jack and Mary Truett waiting. They own Slice of Heaven, which happens to be my favorite pizza place ever. “Jack offered to give us a ride home.”
Bless their poor, sweet souls.
“Don’t scare them off,” I motion between the two of them, “you know… being yourselves.”
Gram laughs as she wraps her arms around me. “I love you, sweet girl, but you need to loosen up. I think you need to get laid.”
“Gram.” I try to pull back, but she keeps her arms wrapped around me tightly as she laughs.
“Life’s too short. Enjoy it.” After Gram plants a kiss on my cheek, they both make their way out to the parking lot.
Their endless chatter fades away, but her words remain embedded in my brain.
I think you need to get laid.
It’s been a while since I’ve tried to even go on any dates with any men in town. After the first few attempts crashed and burned when I moved here, I just sort of gave up.
Hadley’s laugh makes my head swivel to my left. She’s sitting on Austin’s lap with a huge smile on her face. The way he looksat her doesn’t leave anything to the imagination. He is head over heels in love with her.
Brooks and Conrad walk over to their table. They both give her a kiss before settling into the seats on either side of her.
She relaxes against Austin, like her whole world is complete now that her other two men are at her sides.
Their relationship isn’t “conventional,” and some people don’t approve, but I am so happy for my friend. She has found her happiness, even if it came in the form ofthreemen, not one.
Seeing that level of joy and contentment sends a wave of loneliness through me. The feeling isn’t a new one, but it’s getting harder and harder to contain as time rolls on.
I need some air.
Hastily, I grab my shoes and purse. Breathing is a struggle as I weave my way through the tables toward the hallway that leads to the back exit. Not a moment too soon, I swing open the door.
The cool autumn air hits my face, making me suck in a shuddered breath.What the hell is wrong with me?
The door bangs shut as I pace back and forth on the sidewalk. Blindly, I dig into my bag, pulling out my phone. I hit the name of the only person I want to talk to right now—my mom.
“Sienna?” her sleepy voice asks over the line.
Crap. It’s late.
“Hi, Mom. I forgot what time it was.”
“You’re fine. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I say, cringing at the lie and the pain in my foot as I step on a small rock.
“Don’t nothing me. Out with it,” she says in her very motherly voice.
Tilting my head back, I look up at the star-filled sky, and I let it all out. “I’m kind of freaking out. Okay, not kind of, I am freaking out. I’m pretty sure I’m chronically lonely. I haven’t been on a date in like a year, but it’s been so long I can’t reallyremember. They’ve all just sucked. Gram told me she thinks I need to get laid.”
I laugh when I hear my mom’s soft chuckle over the line.
“She isn’t wrong, but I don’t even think I like sex. I mean, there was that one time when I did, but that’s not the point. Every other time it’s just been… unremarkable.”
Mom’s voice stops my rambling. “Sienna, I need you to breathe.”
I do as she says, dragging in a deep breath.
“It’s okay if you don’t like sex, but you said there was a time when you did?”
