Totally Worth It, page 22
“That’s true.” Mia nodded her agreement and took Meg’s cup, handing it over with her own to the girl working the taps. She smiled her irresistibly wicked smile. Reaching out she tousled Meg’s hair. “The hair works for you.”
“Thanks.” Meg quickly messed with it again, trying to put it back into its calculated disarray.
They grabbed their full frothy cups and each reached into their pocket for a tip. Mia licked the foam spilling down the side of her drink as she held the exit gate open for Meg. As they started back toward their friends, Meg couldn’t help but notice Mia’s smile.
“So all you miss about me is the texts, huh? Wow,” Mia joked, pretending to wrench a knife from her heart.
“Oh, please. Don’t look to me to pump you up,” Meg teased. “You’ll just have to get all your ego boost from Amanda now.”
“Amanda? You’re kidding, right?”
“I thought you guys were a thing.”
Mia shook her head adamantly. “We flirt sometimes, for fun. But she’s my partner. There are lines you just do not cross.” She looked to Meg for approval. “See, even I have some boundaries.” She puffed her chest out, a little too proud of her own restraint.
“Too bad. She’s adorable.”
“Yeah? I could put in a good word for you…”
“Mmm.” Meg scrunched up her face. “That’s a little close for me.” She let out a laugh. “I don’t really think I need you two sitting around all day comparing notes about me.” She mock-shuddered. “Anyway, I think I’ll just take it easy for a while.”
They were steps away from the group, which now included Sam and Julie. Mia whispered into Meg’s ear, “Hey, I’m glad we’re friends.” She placed her hand possessively at Meg’s waist and drew her in close so their bodies touched in an oddly familiar way. “But I’m just putting this out there, in the interest of full disclosure. Down the line if there’s a time, you know, that we’re both single again and feeling it”—she winked—“who’s to say what could happen?”
*
As the night progressed, Meg couldn’t help but enjoy herself. The dreaded conversation with Mia was behind her. And even though she didn’t entirely agree with Mia’s final take on their situation, it was still kind of nice to know she had options, however abstract they might be. It seemed that everything was working itself out. Work was good and calm for a change, the company was no doubt pleased with her efforts, even her colleagues were beginning to appreciate her in her new role. And here at Bay West, she had everything she could have hoped for—long-term girlfriend notwithstanding—but that would come, she had faith. This community, these people—she loved this place.
Lexi, on the other hand, was struggling to stay upbeat. Despite her vow just a few days earlier to happily drink away her woes, she was having a hard time getting out of the slump. Meg knew Lexi’s night would turn around any minute. She’d gotten that promise right from the horse’s mouth yesterday when she’d sabotaged Jesse on the ride into work. By the end of their talk, Jesse hadn’t been able to conceal her smile as she swore to clear everything up this weekend.
Until that happened, Meg was determined to keep Lexi from wallowing. She stood at the center of the circle of girls, keeping the conversation upbeat. She regaled her friends with travel nightmares, which she had plenty of from her months of commuting to London. Even though the content wasn’t that funny, Meg played it for laughs, embellishing at every chance. She had good timing and delivery and she was at her best when she made herself the punch line of the joke. It helped that tonight she was on. She credited her level of comfort to the fact that tonight, for the first time in a long time, she was completely herself, unencumbered by looming deadlines or relationship drama.
She was on a roll. The girls were chuckling, a few even downright laughing, waiting for the big finish. Meg was taking her time getting there, milking a story for everything it was worth, and out of the corner of her eye she noticed someone in her periphery approaching the group but was so in her groove that she didn’t even turn.
“Meg McTiernan, as I live and breathe.” The sharp, sassy cliché cut through Meg’s silly wit, deflating her and the story instantly.
The sultry self-assured voice was unmistakable. She used to hang on it at every syllable. Blinking slowly, Meg half smiled, half grimaced, her shoulders dropping as she spoke the name aloud before she even opened her eyes. “Becca.”
Meg shook her head in disbelief as she met Becca’s gorgeous face. For all the times she had envisioned their reunion, she had never expected it to happen here at Bay West. Of course, she shouldn’t be surprised—in some ways she had been anticipating this moment since they’d broken up. Nevertheless, she expected her shock was written all over her face.
Becca puckered her thin lips and gave Meg a thorough once-over. She didn’t even remotely try to cover it as her smoldering gaze took in every inch of Meg, from her new haircut to her beat-up old Converses. When she finished her assessment, she jutted out her chin and raised a signature eyebrow. “I thought you fell off the face of the earth.”
“Ditto.” Meg wanted to say more. She wished she had the nerve or the quickness to come up with some clever barb about how she’d moved on, how great her life was now. But she wasn’t that sharp or cunning. Mean-spiritedness just wasn’t part of her core makeup anyway. In fact the opposite was true, and Meg felt a natural pull to be hospitable and friendly even after everything that had happened between them.
Against her will she felt the old feelings simmering to the surface, and she wondered if being civil would be her downfall yet, as she stood face to face with the girl she had completely given up on, the one she would have sworn she was over. Standing less than a foot away, with Becca’s long red hair blowing lightly in the breeze and fiery green eyes as enticing as ever, Meg wasn’t sure how long she would hold out before getting hooked all over again.
With a move Meg had seen hundreds of times before, Becca brushed her hair over her shoulders and gestured to her group with a subtle flick of her long light eyelashes. Becca’s eyes were far and away her best feature. They were inviting and secretive at the same time, with their hooded lids and lashes that went on forever. She used them to get whatever she wanted. Right now, as ever, it was attention.
“Look at you. Still the funniest person in the room, I see.” Becca cocked her head and ran her tongue between her lips, making the gloss on them shine. “No surprise there, I’ll admit.” It probably passed as a compliment to the casual bystander, but Meg knew better. Meg’s sense of humor had been a sticking point between them. Becca had never missed a chance to criticize Meg’s jokes for being inappropriate, crass, or just plain unfunny. Meg had always suspected her jokes only bothered Becca because, however fleetingly, they stole her limelight. And now here Becca was using it to her own advantage, playing on Meg’s long-sought-after desire for her approval. Meg recognized the manipulation right away, but it threw her off just the same.
Trying to steel herself, Meg took a drink as she turned back toward her friends and inwardly dissected the comment. She choked out a laugh into her cup as she regarded the group who stood stone silent as they watched the scene unfolding before them. Their open mouths and wide eyes actually lifted her mood, giving her both courage and inspiration, enough to momentarily break free from Becca’s mind games.
She reached back to Becca and lightly touched her forearm. “Sorry, these are my friends”—Meg gently nudged Becca toward them, pointing to each girl in turn—“Lexi, Mia, Julie, Sam, and Amanda. Everyone, this is Becca. My ex-girlfriend.” She was pretty sure she could forgo the formality, but she said it anyway.
Not surprisingly, her friends were warm and welcoming. They dropped their collective gape and replaced it with sincere hellos, opening up their circle to make room for her. Then they turned to one another and picked up previous conversations, affording Meg and Becca at least the illusion of privacy.
“So, who are you here with?” Meg asked, hoping it didn’t sound like she cared. The last thing she wanted was for Becca to think she was still interested in her.
“Heather and Jenna,” Becca answered quickly tossing an absent look over her shoulder. “They went to the beer truck.” She pouted a bit fingering her bracelet. “You know me, not a beer person,” she added, crinkling her nose. “We just got here. I thought it was an indoor party, but apparently it’s not open yet or something.”
Meg nodded checking her watch. “The doors open at nine. I just saw the DJ moving his stuff up there, so it’ll get going pretty soon.” Meg glanced around and noticed some movement had started up toward the Commons. “They should probably do a better job advertising,” she offered, giving Becca an excuse for her confusion. “See, it’s really almost two parties,” Meg continued to explain. “The afternoon is like a combination cookout slash tea dance, but at night everything moves up to that big building over there.” Meg pointed in the direction of the Bay West Commons, where people were beginning to line up. “That will really be more like a club.”
Becca didn’t ask how Meg knew so much about the setup. “I’ve never been to one of these parties before, but apparently it’s this whole big thing. You know, Time Out New York just did a piece on this place. People live here and everything. I mean it’s impossible to get in, huge waiting list. But still, so cool, right?”
Meg tried to interrupt, but Becca wouldn’t let her get a word in. It was typical—Becca always had to be the one in the spotlight. “The article called it something. Oh God, what was it?” She tapped her upper lip as she thought. “I think it was like Americana Lesbiana or something kitschy like that. The reporter said this place was the new wave of feminism, the hottest lesbian neighborhood in the country. Can you believe it, right in our city? You read it too?” she asked presumptively, still not giving Meg a chance to talk. “Is that how—I mean that’s why you’re here, right?”
Meg hadn’t read the article but she had certainly heard about it. It had been titled “The New American Lesbian” and focused largely on Kam Browne and her innovation and business acumen in developing the community. The neighborhood had been buzzing about the story for weeks, critiquing the nuances the magazine got right versus the plethora it didn’t. The biggest gripe had been that the reporter had been a man. A straight one, at that.
“No, I didn’t read the article,” Meg confessed, a confident smile cutting though. “I live here.”
Becca rolled her eyes. “Cute, Meg,” she responded dryly.
The corner of Meg’s mouth turned up a touch. “I’m serious. I live here, on the next street over actually.” She was enjoying the look of awe on Becca’s face, but she spared her anyway. She nodded over Becca’s shoulder. “Jenna and Heather appear to be searching for you.”
Becca turned toward them and gave a quick wave, ordering them over. Apparently she wasn’t done with Meg. She narrowed her eyes, twisting a long red strand in her left hand. “But how?” Her mouth hung open in absolute disbelief.
Meg shook her head and laughed. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It just kind of happened. I’ve been here for almost a year now.” Thumbing at Lexi she added, as proof, “Lexi here is my next-door neighbor.”
Almost on cue, Lexi turned to Meg.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Lexi put one finger up apologetically. “Meg, can I steal you for a second?” Grabbing Meg’s arm she surreptitiously handed over her cell phone and whispered, “Don’t make it obvious, but check out this text I just got.”
Meg forcefully hid her smile as she scanned the message from Jesse. Lex, we really need to talk. I saw you at the party with your friends. Was hoping for a few minutes alone. Meet me at my place?
“What do you think that means?” Lexi muttered through clenched teeth, trying to mask the equal parts of hope and fear that were coming to the surface.
Meg knew exactly what it meant. “I think it’s all good.”
“You think?” There was obvious anxiety in Lexi’s sweet brown eyes.
“I do.” Meg hoped her confident tone reassured her.
“Listen, I don’t want to make a big deal about where I’m going, so I’m just going to slip out—”
“I got you covered.”
Lexi mouthed thank you and slid away without notice.
Meg turned back to Becca just in time to overhear her giving the lowdown to Heather and Jenna. “See, this is really more like two parties…” she said, as though she’d known it forever.
Meg shook her head and ushered them up the hill to the Commons where the music was already wailing.
Chapter Twenty-three
Lexi hurried down the walkway that led to the main sidewalk. She kept trying to slow down, particularly since she really wasn’t sure what she was walking into at all.
She rounded the tennis court and kept along the straightaway that led to her block, imagining scenarios that were all over the spectrum. She was so caught up that she had completely forgotten that the rear of Jesse’s unit overlooked her path until she heard her deep sexy voice from above.
“Hey.”
Lexi looked up, and there was Jesse, looking totally at ease as she leaned on the railing of her bedroom balcony, drink in hand.
Although she was taken off guard, Lexi was also relieved that she didn’t have to go around to the front of the house, where she would risk being seen by her parents. She swiftly cut through the three backyards between them until she stood squarely below Jesse.
“Come on up. It’s open,” Jesse said in a tone that was virtually unreadable. Lexi watched as she took a long sip from the short glass.
She slid open the rear glass doors and closed them gently behind her. If she thought she was nervous before, it was nothing compared to the walk through Jesse’s living room and up the stairs to the second floor. She tried to ignore all the memories that flooded into her head from her previous visit. She hurried through the master suite, barely allowing herself to glance at the bed, until she stepped through the open balcony door where Jesse was waiting.
“Thanks for coming. I hope I didn’t mess up your night.” Jesse looked up from her drink. She took a sip of the amber liquid, stifling a wince as she swallowed. “I just wanted to talk. I thought we might have a little more privacy here.” Her intense eyes were serious and breathtaking against the backdrop of the dark sky. “Hope that’s okay,” she added, jiggling the ice in the glass.
“Sure.” Lexi stood pinpoint straight as she waited for Jesse to say God knew what. Logically she knew it could be the worst of her fears, but something deep inside told her that wasn’t going to happen. In this moment, standing on the balcony a few feet away from one another, Lexi knew with one hundred percent certainty that she hadn’t imagined their mutual attraction. Even with the sound of dance music and laughter in the distance, Lexi could feel the heat that was ever present between them, whether they chose to act on it or not. She watched Jesse stumble over her words as she ran her hands through the short mess of dark waves, starting and stopping over and over, and she knew in an instant that Jesse felt it too.
“I’m sorry. Do you want a drink?” Jesse finally managed.
“No. I’m fine.” Lexi smiled, because she was. Whatever Jesse was about to say, Lexi knew that it wasn’t going to be the end for them. Boldly, she placed her hand on top of Jesse’s and brought the drink closer, closing the gap between them substantially. “I am curious, though. What are you drinking?” she asked, hovering over the glass as she absorbed its potent aroma.
“Bourbon.” A small smile escaped Jesse as she said it, as if the answer signified to both of them the seriousness of the situation.
“That bad, huh?” Lexi said raising her eyebrows.
Jesse couldn’t meet her eyes. “I’m a little nervous.” Lexi thought she saw her blush, but the light from the moon and the overhead sconces that lit the path made it hard to be sure.
“It’s okay—” Lexi started, but Jesse cut her off.
“Let me just say a few things.” Jesse licked her lips. “The thing is, I know about the job offer.”
Lexi’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Jesse let out a deep breath. “Sorry. What I mean is, I just found out that I, that we, offered you the job, one of the associate positions. I didn’t actually know about it before, at the beach,” she stammered out. “And obviously I wouldn’t have”—she gestured between them awkwardly—“you know.” She cleared her throat and gripped the rail of the balcony next to her. “I think what I’m trying to say, completely ineffectively I might add, is that we are sort of in a weird spot now.” Jesse sipped her drink checking over the rim of the tumbler for a reaction.
Lexi was about to talk, but Jesse beat her to it. “The thing is, I didn’t actually want to offer you the position. Laney and I talked about it, and I convinced her Scott was a better choice. It was a hard sell, believe me, because you are a far superior candidate. But I used everything I could to convince her. Everything but the truth, obviously.”
Lexi didn’t know whether to be insulted or relieved, but she could tell there was more to the story, so she waited.
Jesse said, “But while I was away last week, Scott turned us down. So Laney sent you the offer. She never talked to me about it because it was a no-brainer, the kind of thing Laney and I have been doing for years. I can’t even be mad at her for it.” Jesse laughed to herself and shook her head a little as she absorbed her own words. “Honestly, Lex, I didn’t want you for the job because I thought there might be something here. Something real.” She took a half step sideways and put her drink down on a small wicker table in the corner. Stepping in front of Lexi, she put her hands lightly on each side of Lexi’s waist and met her eyes. “Lexi, am I crazy or is this real between us?”
