Chapter 15 Kit
It hadn’t been a dream. Watching William sleep next to me gave me a flutter in my stomach that was a mix of excitement and nerves.
His handsome face was relaxed with a slight smile.
I closed my eyes trying to slow my heart.
Feeling William stir next to me, I opened my eyes in time to see his light up when he saw me lying next to him.
He pulled me toward him into a warm snuggle. “Happy birthday, Kit.”
I smiled and sat up, the blankets falling away from me. A spark was in William’s eyes as they moved across my body in a way that made me feel powerful and desired. I leaned forward and kissed him. “I promised Veronica we’d get breakfast before she heads back to Atlanta.”
William nodded, “It’s going to be hard to let you go, but I take solace in the fact that I get to watch you get up and walk across the room to get your dress.” His crooked smile appeared. I felt his hands glide along my thigh.
“Would you like to join me for dinner tonight? Aunt Rita and I usually go out to some kind of dinner and movie,” I said, trying to be nonchalant.
“I would love that,” William said. “Maybe we could watch one of our shows after.”
The way he said our shows gave me a little flutter in my stomach, and I jumped a little with excitement. It made me realize that even though last night was our first time together, that moment had been months in the making. “That’s a great idea. I would love that.”
William’s eyes were wide and his crooked smile had spread into a full grin. “I’m sorry. I forgot what we were talking about. Your joyful…bounce was…distracting,” William said as he pulled me closer to him.
We folded against each other and converged, touching and kissing.
His muscular thigh pushed between my own and he pulled me against him.
I kissed him again and sighed as he moved me against his thigh and hip in just the right way to ignite a warm pleasure inside me.
I would have let William do anything at that moment, but my cell phone began loudly playing “Best Friend” by Saweetie.
When he pulled his head back from our kiss, he said with amusement, “Veronica has a cool ringtone. Do I get a cool ringtone?”
I laughed. “You must earn the custom ringtone,” I said, hoisting myself up to get my phone before the song got to the second verse. “I can’t spend ninety-nine cents for a ringtone on just anyone!”
William propped himself up on one elbow and as he promised, he watched me cross the room to find my cell phone, which I silenced before it broke out into the full female empowerment anthem that it was.
I slipped my dress back on and gathered my bra and panties.
I hurried upstairs to shower and get ready before another renter or Aunt Rita caught me in the hallway or stairwell.
Veronica was already at the diner when I arrived. I slid into the booth. “Sorry, I’m running a few minutes behind.”
“No worries, Birthday Girl.” Veronica beamed. “You’re glowing.”
“Must be that extra bit of spring sunshine,” I said, opening the menu. “Where’s Gus?”
“Oh, he and Matt went to play golf.” Veronica looked at the menu as she pushed her lips forward. “I think Matt is going to head to Charlston later today. He’s got an interview there and said it might be good for him to get there a few days early to prepare.”
“That’s great,” I said. “He called me this morning and we talked. I’m sure he’ll knock their socks off. So, how’s it been going back to work?”
Veronica knew me well enough to know that I was changing the subject away from Matt on purpose, and since it was my birthday, she was going to let this go for now. We slid into our regular banter about work and gossip.
After we ordered, Veronica asked, “Any special plans for your birthday?”
“Well, this breakfast is pretty special,” I said.
Veronica pretended to give an elaborate curtsey from her seat in the booth.
I added as I took a sip of my coffee, “And I think I’m going to go to dinner with Aunt Rita and William later.
William and I have been watching Game of Thrones on Tuesdays and my favorite holiday movies on Thursdays.
We…um…missed watching our show last night. ” I smirked.
Veronica’s eyes widened when she heard William’s name. After New Year’s Day, my pride had prevented me from admitting to anyone, especially Veronica, how much time I had been spending with William over the last few months. I licked my lips and tried to act cool as a cucumber.
“Well, I did notice that William was the one who brought you to the party last night. Aunt Rita said he would be the best person, which I thought was odd since you said he was literally the worst.” She put air quotes around the words literally the worst.
“So, you’re still going with the ‘we’re just friends’ thing with William?” Veronica said, placing air quotes around friends.
"What’s with the air quotes?” I joked.
Veronica ignored me. “Is he just one of your casual friends you’ve been hanging out with?”
“Um, maybe not after last night,” I said quietly, looking around. I could feel my cheeks turn pink.
Veronica gave me a wide-eyed look. “He’s so hot. Did y’all just like make out, or do it? Was the sex good?”
I didn’t respond. My lips pushed down into a modest grin. Veronica read my face and body language. She laughed. “Okay, gurrrl.”
I shushed her and we both looked around.
“Relax,” Veronica teased. “No one is eavesdropping on the town librarian.”
“Well,” I said. “Maybe I need a few drinks before I loosen up enough to give all the details, but it was amazing.”
“Why didn’t you lead with this?!” Veronica demanded.
“I don’t know. I just, I think it all just kind of hit me,” I said.
I paused, and then trying to temper my excitement, I said, “But it was the best sex I have ever had.
Like for posterity's sake, I need you, as my best friend and life witness, to know that on the very last night of my twenties I had life-altering, mind-blowing sex.”
Veronica laughed and gave me a high five. “That’s what I’m talking about. Going out there and having a hot birthday sex hook-up!”
I paused and said, “Let’s just get the elephant out of the room. Matt.”
Veronica nodded solemnly and crossed her arms. “Okay, let’s do this.”
Ever since we were freshmen in college, we had our way of dealing with whatever questionable situation was the ‘elephant in the room.’ The one friend would ask a series of pointed questions to make sure the other had considered all the possibilities.
I nodded. “Okay, hit me.”
“Do you still have feelings for Matt?”
“I love him as a friend.”
“Do you remember that his family is loaded?”
“Yes, hard to forget.”
“Do you remember that he is also a doctor, so he will have his own independent wealth?”
“It has been brought to my attention before.”
“Are you considering the amazing olive-skinned, beautiful children you would have with Matt?”
“If he even has kids!” I pointed out. “He's on the fence about having his own children, and the kids would be cute because of me, not him.”
“Fair.”
“Do you realize that Matt and my dear husband, Gus, will still be best friends, so when Matt does settle down and get married, I’ll have to hang out with Matt and his new partner? Like engagement parties, bridal showers, baptisms…”
“I promise not to hold it against you or get my feelings hurt, and I promise not to expect Gus to love whoever I end up with.”
Veronica was quiet for a minute, and then turned and whispered, “But like they are so, so rich…”
I let out a little chuckle. “I know, girl. But I was never into Matt for the money. I hope he makes some nice lady so happy and so rich.” I smiled at Veronica.
“He is a nice guy, and honestly, the relationship made sense in college. But once you and Gus started the next phase of your lives, the big wedding and house and now the baby, I just realized I didn't really want to do those things with Matt. I always went along with what everyone else liked, and it was never a problem because I never made a fuss. I think, because of the timing, everyone thought it was about my mom, like grief made me blow up my relationship, but it wasn’t just the grief.”
Veronica’s eyes shifted, and I knew she was listening.
I sighed and continued as I stirred butter into my bowl of grits.
“Really, it was like it was the last lesson my mom got to teach me. Because watching her die so young, I realized I needed to start living for me, the way she did. My mom died with no regrets. She lived her life exactly the way she wanted to. Being a single mom in a town like this was not easy, but this is where she wanted to be. So, I’m working on doing what feels right to me and on telling people the truth about how I’m feeling—not just telling them what will make hard moments easier.
” I took a deep breath. It felt good to unload that.
I looked anxiously at Veronica to see how she’d react.
Veronica reached across the table and squeezed my hand.
We were quiet for a moment. Then she clucked her tongue and said, “Wow, that was some good dick you had last night. Like better than five years of grief therapy.” I let a laugh burst from my lips.
Veronica shook her head chuckling. “But seriously, good for you, Kit.”
We ate and chatted for a bit, then Veronica said, “Okay, are you ready for the next elephant?”
I wasn’t sure where she was going to go, but I said. “Yes, shoot.”
“So, you no longer think William is an obnoxious grifter?”
“Okay, I never called him a grifter, but correct. I don’t think that anymore.”
“How did this happen? I thought you had sworn him off after New Year’s Eve. Like really iced him out.”
I made a tsk sound. “Yeah, so I’m learning that I jumped to some conclusions about William and the lady I saw him with on New Year’s Day. My bad. And even though I was an ice queen, he still walked me home every Tuesday and Thursday night to spend time with me.”