39. Izzy #2
“Deal!” Meghan shouts as she starts running to her vehicle.
I can’t help it, I start to laugh. The problem is that once I start, I can’t seem to stop. By the time I pull the car door open I have tears streaming down my face.
“Izzy? You’re losing it on me, girl. I need you to keep it together.” Meghan sounds concerned.
Buckling myself in, my laughing starts to hitch. More tears come, only this time they aren’t laughing tears. It’s official, I’ve lost my mind.
“Izz?”
“I’m okay. I’m okay.” I’m totally not okay.
“You are so not okay.”
She’s right. Wiping my tears away I hear my phone start to ring. Pulling it out I see it’s Zach calling. I hit Decline.
“That must have been some orgasm,” Meghan’s tone is cautious.
“Oh my god, Meghan. I don’t know why I did that.”
“You did that, whatever that is, because Zach is sexy as hell. And because he’s a decent guy who’s crazy about you.”
My phone buzzes with a text.
Zach: Sugar. Sweets. My Sex Goddess. You can run, but you can’t hide.
He doesn’t even ask me to talk to him. Smart man. He knows I won’t. So instead he gives me this threat. Promise? Warning? I drop my head back against the seat.
“That him?” Meghan asks.
“Yeah.”
“So… are you going to make me beg, or are you going to tell me what happened back there?”
“Long story short…” I start.
Meghan interrupts. “Oh hell no, I want the long story. Gimme the deets.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine. Zach was waiting for me outside the bathrooms. I don’t think he even said anything, maybe he did, I don’t remember, but he kissed me.
I didn’t even put up a fight. And I didn’t just not put up a fight, I was actively involved.
Then he moved us to the photo booth, and one thing led to another. ..”
Meghan shakes her head. “Uh uh. You can do better.”
“He had me sit on his lap.”
“Like sitting across it or all up on it?”
“Jesus, Meghan! ”
“What? It’s not like I got any tonight. Stupid fucking… whatever. So, you’re straddling him?”
“Yeah, well, so we started making out again. It got intense. And… I got off. Like a horny cat just rubbing up against him.”
“Please tell me the booth started taking pictures.” She begs.
“Umm...” I for sure hadn’t thought of that possibility. “No. No way. We definitely didn’t take the time to put money in or anything.”
“Bummer. That’d be hot. So then what, you give him a blowie or something?”
“Oh my god! No!”
“No? So he didn’t get off?” She sounds super confused.
“Nope.”
“And you’re just like, okay have fun with the blue balls, thanks for the O!”
I cringe. “Basically. He was still adjusting himself, so I knew I had a head start and I ran away...”
“Oh. My. Cruella. That’s fucking amazing!” Meghan bursts out into laughter. “Way to get yours and get gone.”
“Meghan, I can’t be trusted around him,” I whine.
“You could stop resisting it?”
I groan. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Are you still planning to go on that date next week?”
“The one with Bill? - yeah...”
She scoffs. “'Bill?' Your old co-workers name is Bill ? Is he like 80 years old?”
I try not to smile. “I did tell Zach that I should start dating older men.”
Meghan makes a gagging noise.
“I’m kidding. Well, I mean, I did say that, but Bill is like 40. And I was serious about trying out an older guy. Not the teeny boppers you brought out tonight.”
“Oh come on, Zander was sweet. ”
“Yeah, and how about you? What was with you climbing all over Benny? If I hadn’t known you were sober, I’d have sworn you were drunk.”
“Nuh-uh, you’re not changing the subject.” Keeping her eyes on the road, she uses a hand to point at me. “So you go on your date with Old Man Bill next week, and then what? If you still like Zach, will you give him a chance?”
“Probably. Yeah. Maybe. I don’t freaking know!”
“Okay, so this Bill character, who has apparently been secretly crushing on you forever, where’s he taking you?”
“He hasn’t been crushing on me forever.”
“Oh really?” Her tone is super condescending.
“He never acted like it. I’m not even sure if this is really a date. I was just back at the old office last week to help them out with a tricky client, and he asked if he could take me out. It might just be a thank you sort of thing.”
“Hmm, and where is this refined older gentleman taking you?”
I brace myself before I tell her. “Burgundy Strokes.”
“What?! That bullshit over-priced paint some dumbass picture while you drink shitty wine place?”
“That’s the one - ” I mumble.
Meghan doesn’t say anything for a while, since she’s laughing too hard.
“Seriously, Izzy - Bill is crushing on you hard. The only people that go there are large groups of alcohol seeking girls, and hopelessly desperate men trying to score.”
“Oh come on. It might be fun.”
“This is going to be hilarious.”
“I hate you.” I almost mean it.
“Is Bill at least good looking? Silver fox material?”
“Yeah. He’s attractive.”
“Ouch. ”
“What? Attractive is a positive quality.”
“Saying he’s attractive is like saying he’s nice.”
“He is nice!” I say.
“Poor, poor, Bill.” Meghan sighs. “Go on your date with the crypt keeper, and then we can revisit the Zach discussion. How about that?”
“Like I’d have a choice with your nosy ass.”
“Glad you understand!”
Meghan pulls up to my house and I find myself needing to gather my strength just to climb out of the car.
“Oh, before I forget -” Meghan stops me. “Do you think I could come with you to the next game?”
“Yeah! That’d be awesome. They have a home game the day after tomorrow, then they’re on the road for a few days. I’ll get us tickets.”
“Awesome! It’ll be a tough game against Utah.”
I look at her confused. “You know who they’re playing?”
It’s too dark to see her face well, but I’d swear she’s blushing.
“What? One of my friends is engaged to a Sleet player, my other friend is rubbing all up on one - I have a vested interest.”
I scoff. “I’m leaving.”
“See you at the game!” She calls out the window after me.