When We Kiss

“Did you really believe I’d date a seventeen-year-old?” I’m not buying it.

“I thought he was eighteen.” She shakes her head. “Anyway, between taking care of Melody and trying to run the shop, I don’t get out much. Deputy Tucker would stop by every day and chat for a little while. He’d hold Melody and say how big she was getting, how cute she was.”

“He stops in and chats with everybody—André, Betty, Wyatt, Emberly, Coco. He’s getting to know the community, making sure everybody knows him and feels safe.”

She nods. “I understand that now. I guess I was just feeling lonely, and he’s so handsome…”

Damn you, Daisy Sales. “Look, I get feeling lonely, and I get you don’t go out much. Stop going after my guys.”

She blinks down fast again and nods. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t know he was yours.”

My lips tighten. I guess technically he wasn’t… Still.

Our eyes meet, and hers are pleading. “Besides, Chad isn’t like Travis. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know. He doesn’t want anyone but you.”

A pain twists in the middle of my stomach at her words. Now he’s gone, and I don’t even know for how long.

“Whatever, I have to go.” I hurry down the steps to where Emberly’s bike is chained in the alley. Before she leaves, I call back, “Now you know.”

Our eyes meet, and she nods. I pull out the bike and push it towards the lane, standing in the pedals so I can pick up speed to get to Coco before her teacher charges me a dollar for being late.

It’s after six when I return with Emberly’s bike. I park it in the alley and put the chain on, carrying Coco’s little helmet under my arm as I enter the shop. Instead of sugar and vanilla, the place smells like hair spray and Shalimar.

I know what that means.

Betty Pepper is standing by Emberly’s table with a pimped-out Roxanne Philpot at her side. When Emberly sees me, she gives me a look that screams Help!

“Hey, BP, hey, Roxanne! What’s new in the world of swinging singles?”

“Tabitha,” Betty barks like a drill sergeant. “Come over here and get in on this. Roxanne has the best idea for getting more business in the store, and Emberly’s dragging her feet.”

“I don’t know if I’d call it the best idea…” Emberly’s voice sounds defeated.

“Stop being a prude, Emberly Rose. Your mother doesn’t have to know everything you do. Besides, how often does she come in here anyway?”

As much as I don’t like Marjorie Warren, BP has a point. Emberly’s mom rarely visits, and it makes me sad, considering Emberly is my best friend and all. I know not having your mother’s approval hurts. Even if your mother is the queen of all the judgy old biddies and constantly makes you feel like you’re not living up to your “full potential.” I wish Marjorie would get her head out of her ass.

At least she’s sweet to Coco.

“So what’s this great idea?” I look from Betty to Roxanne.

Roxanne Philpot stands with one hip cocked to the side. She’s wearing hot pink pants and a white shirt with matching hot pink palm trees all over it. Her platinum hair is teased into a perfect bouffant around her head, and her glasses are purple frames with rose tinted lenses.

The only thing she’s missing is a foot-long cigarette holder and a pink poodle.

“Well, as you know I just got back from my trip abroad.” She says the word like it’s code.

Betty leans in to me. “You should talk to Roxanne about getting her sex club island up on your travel site. Suggest that to your friends in Seattle.”

“Sure, I’ll suggest it.” I have no intention of suggesting it.

Roxanne flashes her sparkling white veneers at me. “Oh, yes, honey. I have pictures and everything if you need them.”

I also have no plans to mentally scar myself looking at pictures of a bunch of old people naked.

“You know, the clients really prefer to use stock photos—unless it’s something I’ve taken myself. For legal reasons. Otherwise, we’d have to track everybody down, get them all to sign releases. Or blur out their faces, which makes it seem like we’re hiding something…”

Hot pink lips twist into a frown. “Good lord, I don’t know how all that stuff works. Anyway, so I was telling Emberly here one night while we were on the island, we were celebrating Antonio’s birthday. Let me tell you, it was wild. We were all drinking champagne in our birthday suits, and when they carried out his cake, it was a giant penis!”