She returned, holding something she’d apparently crocheted, but I couldn’t identify it.
Carys smiled proudly. “Your little crochet story inspired me to give it another go.” She handed it to me. “I made this for you. Can you guess what it is?”
I didn’t want to insult her. But it didn’t look like…anything. A tiny umbrella slipcover? What the hell was it? Actually, to be honest, it looked like a…cock sock.
“Is it a crocheted condom?” I finally asked.
She covered her mouth. “Oh my God.” Looking over at it, she said, “Actually, you’re right. That’s exactly what it looks like. Shit. But no.”
“So, it’s not a cock sock?” I teased.
“It’s a cover for your pan handles! You said you burn your hands on your cheap frying pans. I made you a little cover for them. I thought I was being clever. It was also easy to make compared to the hat I’d been failing at. I actually found someone who made these online, and she listed instructions. But apparently, I made you something else.”
She was so fucking sweet. I couldn’t believe she remembered I’d even said that about my damn pans.
“Actually, that’s really cool. Who knew there was such a thing? Thank you for thinking of me. And I promise not to try it on for size.”
Carys turned red and hopped off the couch. “Maybe we should have that drink, yeah? I feel like I’m getting a second wind.”
Licking the frosting off my lips, I agreed. “Okay. Yup.”
She retreated to the kitchen and brought out a large bottle of pink champagne.
“This is my last one. I’ve had two bottles chilling in there for months—since before Sunny was born. The first one I opened the night I found out I got the job. Just not sure how to open this without waking Sunny.”
I took the bottle from her. “Let me take it next door and open it over there.”
“Good thinking.” She smiled.
After I returned with the open bottle, we settled into the couch with our respective flutes.
“So…” She took a long sip and swallowed. “If you’re here…then obviously your date didn’t go as well as you might have hoped.”
It upset me that she thought she was someone I only turned to when things went wrong. Of course, I’d given her that impression.
“Actually…” The words were at the tip of my tongue—that I’d specifically canceled the date early because I wanted to come here instead. I thought better of admitting that, though.
“Yeah. The date was just…meh.”
Feeling more comfortable with each sip, I lay back into the couch and put my feet up. She did the same from her spot at the other end of the sofa, her bare toes taunting me. Toes were not normally something that attracted me. But this girl’s toes? I wanted to take each and every one into my mouth and devour them. Fuck. I needed help.
Carys downed the last of her bubbly before setting the glass down on the corner of the coffee table. Then she stared up at the ceiling and said, “You know…I used to imagine where I’d be at twenty-five. My life looks nothing like that. But I’m okay with it.”
I turned to her. “You should be. You’re doing everything right. You’re an amazing mother, and your career is thriving. You’ve accomplished more than most people your age.”
She smiled over at me, then stared into space for several seconds.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“Neil—the guy you saw me with today—he mentioned that when he went to our competitor, The Manhattan Ballet, the man he spoke with over there was basically badmouthing us.”
It hit me. “Sunny’s father…”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“What an asshole.”
She sighed. “I talk a lot about how he abandoned his daughter, but I don’t often deal with my feelings about what he did to me. And hearing that today opened up so many old wounds.”
Anger filled me at the thought of how he’d hurt her. I wanted to beat the shit out of him.
“You want to talk about it?”
“Not really. I wish I wasn’t focusing on him tonight, but the more I think about what he might have said to Neil, the more it enrages me. I’m sure he knows I work for City Ballet now. You’d think, at the very least, he wouldn’t try to jeopardize a company that’s basically the hand that feeds his child.”
My fists tightened. “It’s one thing to be competitive and want to win. It’s another to knock someone else down.”
“Exactly.” She exhaled and shook her head. “Anyway, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought him up.”
“It’s okay. You need to get it out. You can vent to me anytime.”
She closed her eyes a moment. “I hadn’t had a lot of experience when I got involved with him. I had one boyfriend in high school back in Jersey, but my focus was always on dancing. After I moved to New York, I dated a little, but never anyone exclusively. Charles was my first serious relationship, the first man I gave my heart to. It’s going to be a very long time before I trust someone again because of my experience with him. The problem is, I…” She shook her head. “Never mind.”