Totally Worth It, page 11
“It’s a small development. We work together. I can’t help it if I’m observant.”
“Hmm…I don’t know if I believe you.” Jesse crinkled her brow a little, clearly enjoying the banter. “But, since you’re keeping tabs on my visitors, I’ll indulge you. The blonde with the Lexus, as you call her, is my best friend Betsy. There is nothing going on there. The other one, with the dark hair, that’s Sara. She and I have an understanding. One that she is fully aware of.” She licked her lips and wagged a finger at Lexi. “And perhaps you should spend a bit less time looking out your window,” she chided.
Before Jesse could razz Lexi more, the waiter stopped by to ask if they needed anything else.
“She’ll have another glass of cabernet,” Jesse stated matter-of-factly. Lexi tried to object, but Jesse held up her hand in protest before she could even get a word out.
“And for you, miss?”
“I’m fine for the moment,” Jesse stated, inspecting her glass, which was still half-full.
“Jess, you didn’t have to do that.” Lexi was a bit surprised by her own informality.
“Why, you don’t want one?”
“No, I do. I just, I don’t know, I feel bad.”
“Well, don’t. It’s Christmas. We’re going to a party, which I’m pretty sure you’re already in trouble for being late to. So you might as well enjoy yourself. Besides, it’s my turn to ask the questions.” She smiled her killer smile and nonchalantly slid a last forkful of linguine into her mouth.
The waiter had barely set Lexi’s drink on the table, before Jesse nodded at it. “Drink up.” Then she sipped her own drink and rested her chin on one hand as she met Lexi’s eyes dead-on. “So, what’s the deal with your girlfriend? How long have you been dating, where’d you meet, and what do your parents have to say about it?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Start talking, girl.”
Lexi smiled and felt herself blush at the same time. “Her name is Julie. I met her at The Kitchen, but she lives in the development, in the rental section. We’ve only been dating for a few months. It’s still pretty new.”
“A renter, that’s nice.” Jesse smirked.
“What does that mean?” Lexi asked defensively.
“Nothing. Just that it’s nice. Close, you know. Are you guys doing Christmas together?”
Lexi shook her head, playing around with the remnants of her salad. “Her family is in New Jersey, so she’s going there.”
“Your parents like her?”
“Yeah.”
Jesse turned to the side in her chair, leaning her back up against the wall. “They must be so excited that you’re gay.” She shook her head, sounding almost wistful.
“I guess they are, now,” Lexi acknowledged. “They weren’t always, though. Marnie was tough in the beginning. I basically came out to them when I was in high school. Chris was fine, but Marnie didn’t believe me. She thought that I was just trying to make them happy or something. Or going through a phase, like I just wanted to fit in. Funny, right?” She paused, assessing Jesse’s reaction. “And then I dated a few guys over the years, so that threw her off too. I guess I wanted to be sure. Or maybe I was just experimenting, but with guys, you know, the way some girls do with other girls when they’re in college. When I told them that I knew for sure, she was pretty much just happy for me. They both were.”
“Always the drama queen, Marnie,” Jesse said with more than a touch of venom before quickly backpedaling. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. Your moms are great. You’re lucky to have them.” Although she was going for sincere, it sounded more like annoyance as she breathed out the last line.
“What happened with you guys anyway?” Lexi asked, taking full advantage of both her liquor-infused boldness and the path the conversation had taken.
Jesse opened her mouth to answer but stopped, her eyes narrowing as a look of confusion came over her face.
Lexi’s phone vibrated on the table, momentarily stealing her attention. She quickly scanned over the text message from Meg warning her that both Sam and Julie were starting to get pretty pissed about her absence. Lexi frowned as she read it.
Jesse pushed her plate toward the center of the table. “I guess I should get you back. I don’t want your girlfriend to think I kidnapped you.”
“No, it’s okay. That was actually just Meg. I texted them before to say I’d be a little late. Meg’s just keeping me updated.”
“Ah, Meg. She’s the best.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty great.” Lexi watched as Jesse signaled the waiter for the check.
When it came, Lexi wasn’t sure if she should offer Jesse money. She knew it would be awkward to do that, but she also didn’t want to look rude. She figured she could at least suggest paying for her half. But as she reached for her purse, Jesse stopped her and explained that this was basically a working dinner.
Lexi couldn’t help feeling a little deflated as she realized that for Jesse, this was really still work, while for a few minutes she had allowed herself to believe that it was way more than that.
Chapter Twelve
According to Lexi, the Bay West Christmas Extravaganza was the biggest party of the year. All week, the plan had been to head over to the Commons around eight so they could stake out a good spot. Meg spent the entire day secretly wondering if she might run into Mia tonight, because since they’d almost met up at The Kitchen over a month ago, Meg hadn’t seen or heard from the girl. She had bumped into Jesse yesterday morning and knew Jesse planned on going, but Meg hadn’t the nerve to ask about Mia. Anyway, she figured the odds were pretty good, it being a social and all.
Meg had just made her third and final outfit change when she heard her phone beep. She read the text from Lexi which said simply, Stuck at work. Don’t wait for me. Meet you there. Meg looked at her watch. Seven forty. She figured that the message was sent to Sam and Julie as well, a fact that was confirmed one minute later by Sam’s text to Meg informing her that they would swing by her place in fifteen minutes.
The three of them arrived at the Commons promptly at eight as planned, and it was just in time to score a perfect table on the far side of the room, situated nicely between the bar, the dance floor, and an exit to the balcony. Looking around, Meg saw that the room was softly lit just like the Fall Festival a few months ago, but there were Christmas decorations everywhere. Colored lights adorned the tables and glass balls hung from the ceiling, making the place beautiful and festive.
As the minutes ticked by, Meg busied herself talking to Sam and Julie, but she couldn’t stop scanning the room for Mia. She was also anxious for Lexi to get there already because she could tell Sam and Julie were getting annoyed. They had just started running through the possibilities of what Lexi could be doing at work. Truthfully, Meg was kind of wondering too, but the thought shot completely out of her head at the sight at the entrance to the room.
Standing in the main doorway were two uniformed police officers. Meg would have recognized that wiry frame anywhere. She tuned out her friends and watched as Mia conversed with Kameron Browne for several minutes before turning to her partner, a petite brunette who looked like a teenager dressed up for Halloween. Mia pointed around giving the other girl some kind of instructions. Her partner nodded before turning and exiting to the outdoor balcony. Mia walked through the party, staying close to the wall before disappearing down the back staircase to the first floor. Meg knew that the first-floor common area was off-limits during all the Commons parties. But she couldn’t resist. She was dying to know what was going on and—okay, mostly—to get a closer look at Mia in that uniform. Barely saying a word, she got up from the table and slipped down the back staircase.
The stairs were dark, so she treaded slowly and held on to the railing. At least the first floor was slightly illuminated by the ambient light from street lamps glowing in through the windows. Right away, she spotted Mia in the main area, flashlight out, walking casually as she pointed her light around the room. Meg paused in the open doorway. The last thing she wanted to do was sneak up on a cop in a dark room.
She leaned up against the door frame and knocked on the wall. “Looking for something, Officer?”
Mia spun on her heel and shined her light right at Meg. “You know, sneaking up on an armed person in a dark, supposedly unoccupied space is a really bad idea.” Her tone was as playful as ever.
“I had to get your attention somehow. Nice outfit, by the way.”
“You like it?” Mia said with a knowing grin. Meg could only imagine the number of girls who melted on a daily basis at the sight of the tall blonde in the dark blue uniform.
“You don’t look terrible in it.”
Mia rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling.
Meg moved from the doorway toward Mia. As she walked alongside the pool table, she ran her hand across the smooth felt top. “So, really, what are you and your twelve-year-old partner doing here?” Meg asked.
“Just checking things out. Making sure there are no unwanted guests, haters, pervs, etcetera.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Has that ever happened?” Meg raised her eyebrows, lighthearted mockery in her tone. “You know, someone lurking in the rec room waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting lesbian?”
“You mean not counting right now?” Mia countered.
Meg swallowed a laugh. “Listen, I’m just trying to figure out what my Bay West association fees are going to. Now I know.” Meg gestured at Mia.
“Well, I don’t know about your fees, but this is a courtesy drive-by. My boss is friends with Kam Browne,” Mia said, as though that explained everything. “So part of our assignment for the night is just to come by, show our faces, and do a cursory search.”
Meg grinned, nodding her head. “Convenient.”
Mia chuckled, moving over to where Meg had stopped by the end of the pool table. “What does that mean?”
“Oh, nothing,” Meg chided her. “Let me just put on my police uniform and head into a room full of dykes, no big deal.”
“Hey, I’m just following orders. Doing my job.” She held up her hands and looked around the dark room. “Speaking of which, in this situation, normally it would be procedure for me to do a complete pat down of anybody I come across under suspicious circumstances.”
Meg huffed out a laugh at Mia’s quick wit. Almost before she registered what was happening, she felt Mia’s hand on the side of her neck. Mia kissed Meg softly on the lips—once, twice—until even through her absolute shock at this turn of events, Meg was kissing her back.
Things got hot fast. Meg reached up to the back of Mia’s head, running her hands through the short, perfectly sculpted hair. She stood on tiptoe in an effort to get a better angle, but Mia lifted her up onto the pool table and pressed herself between Meg’s legs. Meg ran her hands down the front of Mia’s shirt. Feeling an unexpected stiffness underneath, she pushed at it uncertainly.
“Vest,” Mia explained in a word, uttering it into Meg’s mouth. Then she resumed their make-out session, moving her hands to Meg’s lower back and pulling them closer together. They continued like this for several minutes, kissing each other hard and hungrily, capitalizing on the buildup of multiple missed opportunities over the last few months.
They might have continued even longer, if not for the voice that interrupted them through Mia’s shoulder mic.
Riggs, what’s your twenty?
Mia pulled back and hesitated only for a second before pressing the mic down. “Interior is clear. I’m just finishing up. Start the car. I’ll be out in a second.”
Ten-four.
Meg looked at Mia, question in her eyes. “Riggs?”
“Nickname.” She pointed to the nameplate where the name Riglio was etched just below the silver shield on her uniform.
“So, Riggs. What now?”
“I have to work. I’m on till midnight.”
“And then?”
“Meet you back here?”
“That could work.” Meg nodded, grinning as she scooted herself off the felt tabletop.
“All right, then. I gotta go.” Walking backward toward the door, Mia adjusted her uniform, methodically checking to make sure all of her gear was in place. Smirking from ear to ear, she wagged one finger at Meg and teased, “Now, Meg, try not to skip out on me this time.”
*
Meg reentered the party easily. It seemed like nobody had even realized she was gone. A quick glance at her watch revealed it was just after nine—and a quick glance around the room, that Lexi was still missing in action. Even she was beginning to get curious about Lexi’s whereabouts.
When she got back to her table armed with a fresh round of drinks, it was clear that she was not the only one wondering about Lexi. Sam and Julie were in full-blown conspiracy theory mode. Jumping right back into the conversation as though she had never left, Meg quickly ran to Lexi’s defense, giving both girls an impromptu lecture on work and internships. She laid it on super thick that Lexi obviously had no control over her situation right now and they could all be a little more understanding—of course Lexi would rather be at the party than at work, she had been talking about it all week, for God’s sake. But while Meg was delivering her missive, she shot off a quick text to Lexi, under the table.
Beware: Natives getting restless. Keeping them at bay best I can. Where the f are u btw!
Meg’s diatribe seemed to resonate a little with Sam and Julie, because both girls calmed down considerably. For a while the three of them made harmless small talk about their Christmas plans, until Julie’s roommates arrived with their girlfriends in tow, filling up the table and turning the conversation to new topics.
A half hour later, when Meg saw Lexi enter the party with Jesse at her side, she actually thought no one else noticed. That is, until Sam flew from her chair and was at the entrance in no time flat, corralling Lexi toward the table as she leaned down and barked in her ear. Meg could tell by Sam’s sneer and Lexi’s facial expression that this lecture did not involve the kind words and understanding that Meg’s had.
Meg decided to get out of the way and let Lexi and Julie have a minute of privacy to work things out. She started across the room toward Jesse, but after clearing a small crowd, she saw that Jesse was already surrounded by a group of women Meg had never seen before. Too shy to approach, she opted to stay more or less where she was and redirected herself to the bar. With nothing else to do, she watched the scene at her table unfold as she sipped her drink. It was more interesting than she expected.
Lexi approached Julie’s chair from behind, placing her chin on Julie’s shoulder as she wrapped her arms around Julie. Meg could see Lexi’s full lips pucker and pout as she whispered what had to be an apology in the other girl’s ear. Then she gave Julie a chaste kiss on the cheek, which garnered no response, before changing tactics completely. In a second, she swung around and positioned herself squarely in Julie’s lap. She leaned in closer than she had before, brushing her lips against Julie’s face and neck while she continued to whisper in her ear. Clearly this method was working because Meg saw Julie’s sullen expression turn to one of pure lust as she placed her hand at the back of Lexi’s head and pulled her in for a kiss so intense and so long that Meg actually had to look away.
She had yet to look back when Lexi appeared next to her at the bar.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” Meg looked Lexi up and down with a smile. “Need a glass of water?” Meg laughed thumbing in the general direction of their table. “That was some display. For a second, I thought she was going to throw you down on the table and go for it right there.”
“Yeah, well.” Lexi averted her eyes and ordered herself a glass of wine. “I guess I have some making up to do,” she muttered under her breath.
“You okay?”
Lexi nodded. “Thank you for the texts. And for, you know, everything.” She took a long sip of her drink. “Julie was pissed, huh?”
“Eh. Not pissed, really. I think maybe disappointed is a better word. But from the looks of things, I think she’s going to forgive you.”
Lexi raised her eyebrows and nodded into her wine.
Meg bent down a little to catch Lexi’s eye. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She took another long swallow of her drink.
“Is there something going on?” With her head Meg gestured toward the other side of the room. “You know, with you and Jesse?”
Lexi jutted her jaw out in complete annoyance. “You too?” she said, barely concealing the irritation in her voice.
“Whoa.” Meg put her hands up defensively. “Whoa. I’m on your side here. I was just asking. Calm down.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Look, I’m just glad you’re here. Let’s relax and have some fun. Okay?”
“Okay.” Lexi clinked her glass to Meg’s beer bottle.
Meg put an arm around Lexi and gave her a half hug as they looked back at their table together. “We should get back there. By the way, have I got a story for you.”
*
Meg finally made it over to Jesse close to midnight, which was where she still was, engaged in easy conversation, when Mia strolled into the party. From her vantage point, Meg noticed her immediately and felt all her muscles stiffen the second she spotted her. Jesse’s back was to the door so she didn’t see Mia enter, but she witnessed Meg’s entire body language change. Right away Jesse looked over her shoulder to follow Meg’s line of sight.
“Mmm-hmm,” she said with a lilt, one eyebrow up as she turned back to Meg for an explanation.
“It’s not what you think.” Meg wasn’t sure why she was lying. “She just was here earlier. Working. And she asked if anyone would be around if she came back after work. I said we would.”
As comfortable as she was with Jesse, Meg wasn’t about to tell her what had happened earlier. It didn’t matter—Jesse saw right through her anyway.
