Chapter Six
Sometimes a girls’ night isn’t a choice. It’s absolutely mandatory. -Lyla
Lyla
“So why did you call this emergency meeting, Lyla? Finally get some?” Reina wiggles her eyebrows while dipping one of her French fries into ketchup. “Tell us all about it. Leave out absolutely no details.”
“Ew, Reina,” Sophie scrunches her nose and sends her roommate a scandalized look, “we definitely don’t need to know all the details.” She sends me a suspicious look from underneath her eyelashes. “Did you hookup with someone though?”
She flushes bright red when I roll my eyes. “Et tu, Brute?” I sigh.
She shrugs. “Sorry, I’m listening. Maybe this isn’t even about a guy. We’re wrong to assume it is. There’s more to life than men. Even though Liam did the sweetest thing the other day…” she pauses, and Reina takes the opportunity to nudge her in the ribs.
She shakes a French fry at me. “We’re here to talk about Lyla’s problems, not your love life, Soph. Get it together.”
Sophie flushes again and sits up straight. “Yep, I gotcha. I’m listening. So, tell us all about your problem. Man-related or not, we’re here to listen.”
This time, Reina rolls her eyes. “Yes, we’re here to listen, but we know it’s totally about a guy.”
I sigh and look around, taking in the busy environment of MacGregor’s, the Irish bar closest to campus. It’s been two days since I got stuck in the supply closet with Asher and my brain is no less confused than it was when we walked out of the closet that day.
“If you two are finished with your comedy routine, I’ll tell you what’s going on.” I huff another sigh and take a sip of beer. “And yes, I hate to be cliché, but it has to do with a guy.”
“Ah, I knew it,” Reina mutters, “Lay it on us. Mama Reina knows all about men. Give me your problem and I’ll give you the solution.”
Sophie snorts. “Yep, that’s why you were so good at telling my brother your feelings about him. Not .”
They both give each other a frustrated look and I can’t stop my giggle. These two. I met Reina at the hospital when her boyfriend, Brian, was hurt overseas. Sophie is her roommate and Brian’s sister. We also quickly bonded. I grew up with a dad who essentially wanted me to be a boy, so these two are my closest girlfriends. I don’t let other girls in easily, because the relationships with them always seem to revolve around drama and gossip. At least, that’s what I encountered for the most part in high school.
“Well, this has to do with a guy you’ve heard me talk a lot about.” I screw my mouth up in a sarcastic grin, “way too much in fact. I’m surprised neither of you guessed yet.”
Reina and Sophie both send me a sympathetic look. “We didn’t want to bring up Asher,” Sophie says softly, “last time we did you ended up crying over your beer. No guy is worth that.”
I twist my bottle in my hands and train my gaze on the wooden table. “Well, something happened. I’m not crying in my beer anymore, but I’m confused as hell now.”
Reina lets out a “Woohoo, finally!” and I glance up sharply.
“Shh, you have no idea what happened. I haven’t even said yet.”
Her grin is broad and her eyes sparkle with excitement. “I know exactly what happened. Hot Doc finally made a move. About damn time!” She punches the air and Sophie giggles.
“I wish you wouldn’t call him that,” I say while picking at the bottle label.
Reina grabs my hand. “You know, they say peeling the label on a beer bottle is a sign of sexual frustration.” She scowls. “Obviously, Hot Doc didn’t follow through. I’m disappointed in him.”
I pry my hand away from hers and push the bottle away. “He…he kissed me. He finally kissed me.”
Sophie leans forward and props her chin in her hands. “How was it? Was it magical? Was it everything you dreamed of?”
“Was there tongue involved?” Reina also leans forward in anticipation of my story.
I sigh and can’t stop my smile. “It was magical, and it was everything I’ve ever dreamed of. All these years I’ve dreamed about it…and the reality was even better. And yes, Reina, you perv, there was tongue involved. Lots of tongue. Lots of magic. But now…”
Reina raises an eyebrow, “Hot doc is on the run?” she guesses.
“How’d you know?” I ask quietly.
“Because he’s a man and they all run like scaredy cats when they realize they’re in love,” Sophie answers.
I snort. “In love? The last two days he has barely looked me in the eyes when we pass in the hallway. And he warned me away right after we kissed.”
“Classic,” Reina murmurs. “Freakin’ classic.”
I shrug. “Maybe it is, but what do I do now? I know there’s something there. Sparks were flying when we were stuck in that supply closet together. And he said he’s been attracted to me for a long time. Since I was nineteen, to be exact.”
Sophie squeals. “Aw, that’s so romantic.”
Reina rolls her eyes. “Romantic, my ass. He admitted shit, and now he’s a scared little rabbit. Sometimes men are so frustrating.”
We all nod our heads at that statement.
“So, what do I do? What’s your advice?” I ask, desperate for an idea of what to do. I can’t keep walking around in this limbo land.
Reina and Sophie both look at each other and then me. They both grin and I feel a sudden bolt of fear. What are they up to?
“Seduction,” they say in unison.