What Lovers Do

“Probably” is the answer I give her.

Shep offers me a sad smile when I make that comment. I’m not sure why.

I give generic answers to everything. If I’m not sharing my reality with Shep, I’m also not sharing it with his parents.

“Marcus wants kids. He’s so good with them. We were waiting on Millie and him to have kids, but that clearly didn’t work out. Marcus, have you told her much about Millie? You know … I’m just going to shut up now.” She covers her mouth and leans into Gordon’s shoulder.

This seems to dissolve the awkwardness. Everyone laughs.

Shep had to know this might happen. Kids know their parents well enough to predict their thoughts and blunders.

“I met Millie just this week. She’s an excellent sales person.” My comment draws suspicious looks from his parents.

“Full court press on Sophie.” Shep shakes his head.

“We really don’t know what happened to her.” Gordon frowns. “Millie went from being the best daughter-in-law you could ask for to a relentless maniac always trying to make a sale. She was even hell-bent on getting me to try the men’s line of wrinkle cream like I give two cents about my wrinkles.”

“They make you look mature and distinguished.” Hillary leans toward him and plants a kiss on his cheek. He returns such an adoring expression. I could watch them all night.

Shep has a good family. I didn’t need to know this. Things start to feel less fictional when we open our imaginary world to other people. I learn all about them as the night stretches into desserts and coffee.

His dad is retired after forty-five years of selling insurance. His mom was a nurse in the ER for twenty years—five before starting a family and fifteen more after Shep and his sister graduated high school.

“Marcus missed out on his college years. That’s how he ended up with Millie. Online dating was his only option.” I think his mom is buzzed. I like her buzzed. She’s even more chatty, aka revealing, after a few glasses of wine.

“It wasn’t my only option. I had friends willing to fix me up, and bars were an option as well. I could have gone to college and still met someone online.”

“Marcus is dyslexic. He could have gone to college, but he didn’t want to deal with asking for special accommodations. It’s not severe dyslexia, so I honestly think he would have been fine.” His mom prattles off more information than I’m sure he cares for her to share with me.

“He’s done fine.” Gordon for the save. “Life isn’t about certificates and merit badges. There are a lot of happy and successful people who don’t have a college degree. Hell, some don’t even have a high school diploma.”

I love how proud Gordon is of his son who works in a pet shop.

“Who’s calling me?” Hillary pulls her phone from her purse and Gordon leans over to look at the screen.

Shep’s mouth gets as close to my ear as he can without touching it. “Are you wearing panties under that dress?”

Really?

Right in front of his parents he has me flustered. I’m sure they can see it on my cheeks.

“Yes.” I grit my teeth and fake a smile in case they glance up at me.

“That’s a shame.” He sits up straight.

“What are you two talking about?” Hillary glances up from her phone, having missed the call.

“Shep asked me about a concert, but I’ve already seen it. And I don’t usually see the same performance more than once.”

He downs the last few gulps of his beer and sets his bottle on the table. “Unless you really like them and you know that no two performances are exactly the same. And maybe you get backstage passes.”

“Oh, Marcus knows a lot of people. I bet he could get you backstage passes.” Gordon nods several times. “You should do that for Sophie. It might be fun. Concerts are great.”

Shep dips his chin into a sharp nod, his grin on the verge of cracking his whole face. “They really are. A good concert is unforgettable. So intense and satisfying. It’s like you’re in another world, and you don’t ever want it to end. You want to relive it over and over again.”

When the two men finish their big concert sales pitch to me, I shrug. “Sorry. I’m a one and done girl. I need variety. Life is too short to experience the same thing twice.”

“I agree with Sophie. Try something new.” Hillary comes to my rescue.

Shep rolls his eyes. “Says the person who’s been vacationing in the same three spots for twenty years. Says the woman who married her high school boyfriend. Says the woman who only buys one brand of purses.”

Gordon laughs. “He’s got you there, sweetheart.”

“Fine.” She fakes a pouty face. “Maybe you should see the same performer more than once, Sophie. If you like them, it’s a safer bet than trying another one and them not living up to what you’ve already experienced.”