Only One Love (Only One 7)

"I couldn’t sleep," I huff, grabbing the cup and pouring the coffee. I don’t even bother adding milk, just drinking the hot liquid in hopes it wakes me up. "When did Mom and Dad get in?"

"Ten minutes ago. They texted you last night, but you didn’t answer," he says, laughing. "Which is funny because you were stuck to your phone all night long."

"I wasn’t stuck to my phone all night long," I retort, wanting to add I was stuck at some point to Wilson as he dry-humped me in the supply closet, but I don’t. "Let me check," I say, opening the text and seeing it there. "Fine, they texted me." I walk back to my room and sit on my bed. The treasure chest of vibrators beside the bed. "I didn’t know they were coming to town."

"Yeah, I think Dad has a meeting or something like that," he says. "We are meeting at Uncle Max’s because Auntie Allison ordered all the food."

"Okay," I say. "See you there." I hang up the phone and look over at the chest. I look down at my phone and pull up his name. My eyes stare at the words rain check. I thought he was joking when he sent it. Then I saw him get up and put on his jacket and walk out, and I was dumbfounded. There was nothing I could have said. I stared at the spot where he disappeared to, waiting for him to come back, but the joke was on me when ten minutes later, he never came back. The whole ride home, I was flabbergasted. I kept looking at my phone, waiting for him to text me his address or ask me mine. Or say he was joking. I was waiting for anything. Even as I undressed and got naked, I waited. Then I finally caved and sent him the picture of the vibrator I took to bed with me. All it says is delivered; he never answered me back. "Fuck him," I say, tossing the phone on the bed, and it hits said vibrator that is still under the sheets. Grabbing the vibrator, I head for the shower, and even after I come twice, I’m still on edge.

I put away all the toys under the bed, and I’m slipping on my yoga pants when the doorbell rings. I grab my white short-sleeved top and put it on while rushing to the door. I don’t know why I’m thinking it could be him. I don’t even know why I care, but sadly, I do. Opening the door, Julia stands there with a bottle of water in one hand and iced coffee in the other. "I come bearing gifts." She smiles. "And from the looks of you"—she pushes her sunglasses on top of her head—"you need a double shot."

"Thank you," I say, grabbing the iced coffee and walking to the front closet. "How cold is it outside?"

"Well, it’s October in Dallas, so a hundred." She laughs while I slip the jean jacket off the hanger and put it on. I also grab a Dallas baseball hat to wear and check myself one last time in the mirror. "Only you can pull off a baseball cap and yoga pants and probably get laid at the dog park."

I laugh at her, tying the laces to my white and black sneakers. "I don’t have a dog."

"Exactly," she says, opening the door and stepping outside. I take one step out and then turn back to grab my sunglasses. "It’s brighter than the devil’s asshole."

"Good to know what the devil’s asshole looks like," Julia says, tossing me my car keys.

After parking my car at the end of the driveway, I get out and stretch my legs. "I think staying at home would have been a good idea," I mumble when I walk into the house and can hear the voices already.

"I live for Sunday lunch with your family," Julia says. "They put the fun in dysfunctional."

"They put something in something," I say, walking into the kitchen and coming face-to-face with my uncle Max.

"There she is." He takes me in his arms, kissing my head. "Your father was asking about you.”

"Was he?" I say, letting go of him. He hugs Julia the same way he hugs me.

"Is Alex here?" I look around, wondering if she flew in for the weekend.

"Nah," he says. “She went to Montreal for the weekend.” He looks at my aunt Allison. “I think she’s interested in someone on the Montreal team.”

I look at my aunt Allison, who just shakes her head. “Oh, I think she’s definitely interested in someone on the Montreal team." I laugh at my own joke as I walk into the house, kissing the kids and finally coming face-to-face with my dad.

"Hey," I say softly, not sure how to act. We are talking more, which is a good thing, but we still aren’t there.