Best Friends Forever

Wanda turns toward Elise and gives her a quick rundown. “Clay is Penny’s college roommate, lost love, and current millionaire benefactor. He is a hunk and a half. And hung like a horse.”

“Wanda!”

“What? I’m just guessing! Is he, though?”

An image of Clay’s perfect, thick, hard manhood pops right into my mind in Technicolor. I have to swallow and remember to breathe.

“Jeez, looks that way,” Elise adds sagely.

“So, can you stop hassling me now? Are you satisfied?”

“Well if you are satisfied,” Wanda smiles suggestively, “then who am I to complain? That is the main thing, after all. But, what is it? Are you dating? Are you engaged?”

I pick up my drink and stare at its frosty surface. “More of a casual thing. Just a friends thing. You know. No complications.”

I see Wanda and Elise share a meaningful glance.

“You sure? Is that what you really want?”

“Yeah, totally!” I insist. “It was my idea, anyway. No need to make a big deal out of everything. It’s perfect like this.”

“Well okay!” Wanda grins, maybe overdoing it with the confidence. “I take back everything I said that was snarky. I’m happy for you. Here, let’s toast. To Penny and Clay enjoying an uncomplicated physical relationship with no emotional strings!”

“I’ll drink to that!” Elise chuckles.

“Yeah, I will drink to that too!” I say, listening to the words like a stranger.

I mean it. This the best thing. Great sex with a great guy, and no downside.

Living the dream.

Chapter 19

Clay

With the entry installation nearly complete, the development has begun to look like a place people would actually want to live. Just like I told Ron, we built a brick and concrete sign on the othe

r side of the entrance to mirror the one that was already there, facing people who come from the highway and town. It looks nice. A little landscaping really makes a big difference. People don’t always realize that.

The models are almost done, but even more importantly, the rest of the development has been started. Foundations are in. Sewer and utility hookups are established. After that, houses go up pretty fast. Especially the way that Wanda runs a crew.

Lightning-fast.

Penny stands outside of the fourth model home, squinting up at the roof line. I pull the Jag over into the driveway and come out to meet her. I love the way she glances at me, surprised still. Like I just showed up out of a past life. It all seems very new, even though it feels like a continuation of college life, too.

“Everything okay up there?” I remark, following her gaze.

“Do those look straight to you?” she asks, jerking her chin toward the solar panels on the roof.

“I think they are supposed to be like that, angled toward the sun and everything,” I answer.

I am not sure how she talked to Ron into the solar panels, but I am really glad she did. She put together a whole hippie “green package” that buyers can select when they pick out their floor finishes and counters. It includes passive hot water, solar panels, and other improvements that reduce utility usage and carbon footprint. I would not have thought that buyers in this region were that sophisticated, but she was right on the nose.

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right,” she sighs.

“Everything is cool, Penny,” I reassure her. “Actually, after I get this group through this afternoon, we might be at 80 percent sold as a matter of fact.”

“Wait, what?” she asks, startled. “But we are only at 45 percent now. How are you going to manage that?”