CHAPTER 23
“S o, how did it go?” Melinda asked.
“It went great,” Myra said. “She loved the tour, and we had dinner after.”
“And…”
“And nothing. We kissed goodnight.”
“That’s all?”
“That’s all.” Myra chuckled. “Remember the part about her being very new to dating a woman?”
“I do. But you also told me how she invited you in after the first date and that it was pretty clear what she meant by that,” Melinda reminded.
“She did, yes. But we’re good. Well, we’re okay, I think.” Myra tilted her head as she stared out of the window in the upstairs apartment above NOLA Guides.
“Why are you only okay?”
“It’s not a big deal, but there’s a chance she might have to spend the school breaks the kids get back at her ex-husband’s place.”
“What? Why?”
“Because the kids want to hang with their friends, who are not in New Orleans. He’s offered his guest house to her.”
“Is that weird? I feel like that’s weird, but every divorce is different, I suppose. I know some people are mortal enemies with their exes, and others are still friends.”
“They’re not friends,” Myra replied, turning to her. “He told her that she could stay there but that she couldn’t bring anyone over, meaning me or any other woman. He doesn’t want the twins to see it. But he can bring in random women all the time without that being a problem.”
“Shit,” Melinda replied, shaking her head. “And Elisa is just okay with this? ”
“Not really. She doesn’t want to do it; I can tell. But they are her kids. She’s not going to not spend time with them.”
“Of course not,” Melinda said. “So, you’re worried that you two will be together but that she’ll have to stay over for a week or something?”
“No, I’m worried that she’ll give in to him and just remain there.” Myra sighed loudly. “It’s unfair of me to worry. I know. And if I truly believed it was what she really wanted, I’d suggest we still try to date. Two hours away is hard, but I’d figure out a way to make it work.”
“You’re worried she’ll just what, go back to her old life or something?”
“Wouldn’t it be easier? She tried to make a life for them here, but the kids are resisting it. They’re great, though. I went over for dinner last night, and it was fun. I like them. I just also wish they could go easy on their mother, who has done everything for the past two decades for them.”
“But it’s her decision, right?”
“Yeah, of course. I just want to be part of it. Does that make sense? It’s only been two dates officially.
I don’t exactly expect her to make a decision because of me.
I have no right to ask anything of her or even suggest anything.
I just don’t like him showing up and essentially trying to control her by suggesting that her own children don’t want to see her because they want to see their friends more. ”
“He sounds like a real dick,” Melinda noted.
“He’s a piece of work, yeah.”
“Babe?”
“Shit. Hide everything,” Melinda told her when Kyle’s voice rang out into the apartment.
“We don’t have–”
“Shh!” Melinda stood up and turned. “Hey, babe. What are you doing here?”
Myra laughed silently. They had been talking about the work on Kyle’s office, but Myra had long ago put the blueprints away in her bag. They’d just been finishing their lunch for the past ten minutes .
“Jill said you were up here. Hey, Myra,” Kyle said with a smile. “Why are you eating up here?”
“Just wanted a little peace and quiet,” Melinda replied. “Want the rest of my sandwich?” she asked before walking over to Kyle to give her a quick kiss.
“No, thank you. I ate lunch already. I just needed a break from work, so I thought I’d stop by and see if you could get off work early, maybe, and we could take a walk or something. I need fresh air.”
Myra made a mental note to check out the windows in Kyle’s office. She might be able to improve the fresh air situation in her remodel.
“Sure. I just need to check with Jill to make sure we’re good,” Melinda said.
Kyle pulled Melinda into her and said, “I can’t wait to marry you.” She smiled wide. “Do we have to wait? We can go down to the justice of the peace and do it today.”
“What? Where did this come from?” Melinda laughed as she wrapped her arms around Kyle’s neck.
“I don’t know. Earlier, I got off the phone with Jolie and my mom. We were trying to plan their trip down here for the wedding, along with everything else we’ve been planning, and it just felt like a lot. I thought if we just got married today with, like, two witnesses, it would be a lot easier.”
“But we wouldn’t get the wedding we’ve been planning for months now,” Melinda said. “There’s a dress, Ky. There’s a really pretty dress.”
“You look pretty in all the dresses,” Kyle replied. “And I know.” She looked over Melinda’s shoulder and asked Myra, “Did you do the whole big thing with your ex?”
“We did, yeah. Not huge, but big enough.”
“And was it worth it? I want to be married to her. The ceremony and the party are great, but it’s more about me being with her forever.”
“Well, you’re asking someone who got divorced, so I’m not sure I’m the best one to advise you on that.
I’m also not much for ceremonies or parties myself.
It was mostly for her. I would’ve done the city hall thing.
I just wanted to be married to her, too.
It wasn’t that expensive, and her parents paid for a lot of it, so it didn’t put us into debt, thankfully.
” Myra looked at the two of them and added, “You two don’t really worry about that, though. ”
“I would never let our wedding put us in debt even if Ky hadn’t inherited money. I’d want whatever we had to be for our first house together or something. Since we already have that, though, I feel less guilty about having a beautiful ceremony in the backyard.”
“I’m just tired,” Kyle shared. “My sister asked if there would be any single men present since we’re all gay and Keith is Candace’s fiancé.”
“God, do we even know any single straight guys?” Melinda asked.
“I work with a few,” Myra said with a shrug. “Want me to invite the guys from work? I know at least three of them are single and relatively age-appropriate.”
“What is relatively ?” Kyle asked.
“Twenty-five to thirty-five, I think.”
“Let’s talk,” Kyle replied.
“We are not inviting random single dudes to our wedding.” Melinda laughed. “You realize why she’s asking that, don’t you? Jolie doesn’t live down here. She’s not asking for a nice guy to meet so they can live happily ever after. She’s asking for a guy she can sleep with while she’s in town.”
“Gross,” Kyle said. “Babe!”
“What?” Melinda laughed again. “It’s true. Ask her.”
“Myra, can we skip inviting the guys?”
“Sure,” Myra replied through her own laughter at Kyle’s expression.
◆◆◆
After her late lunch with Melinda and Kyle’s unexpected visit, Myra decided that instead of going back to the office to close out the day, she would do that at home on her laptop later and would get to Elisa’s house earlier to get some extra work done.
She hadn’t texted in advance because she figured she would message when she got home, and if Elisa said she wasn’t ready for her, Myra would pull out her computer and get to work until it was their agreed-upon time for her to start work.
When she pulled into her driveway, though, she noticed Gwen in the front yard, holding a leash, and there was a dog attached to it.
“Hey,” Gwen said when she looked up after Myra got out of her truck.
“Uh… Hey,” Myra replied.
“Gwen,” the woman introduced herself. “Elisa’s sister-in-law, but not really anymore.” She tilted her head. “I guess we’re just friends now. I met her when I was so young, she’s basically my actual sister, though.”
“She told you that I thought you two were on a date, didn’t she?” Myra asked as she walked over.
“Yeah. Was it that obvious?”
“I think you said the word ‘sister’ at least five times,” Myra said as she laughed. “Myra.” She held out her hand for Gwen to shake.
“Hey. And this is Buster,” Gwen said of the dog.
“And who does Buster belong to?”
“Elisa now. We just picked him up today,” Gwen said.
“She got a dog?” Myra asked.
“Yup. He’s seven years old as far as they know, and he’s a total mutt.
” Gwen knelt down in front of him. “Aren’t you, Buster?
” She ruffled his ears, and he shook his head a little.
“They think he’s part Jack Russell and maybe a Yorkie.
He’s adorable, though, and such a good boy. ” Gwen ruffled him again.
The dog was small, maybe only fifteen or twenty pounds. He had light-brown hair on his face and most of his legs, but his back and most of his body were black. He was adorable. Myra had to give him that.
“I didn’t realize she was going to get one so soon,” she said.
“You’re not allergic, are you?” Gwen asked, standing up. “ She said you weren’t.”
“No, I’m not. I just thought that she might wait, given what’s going on with the kids wanting to be at their dad’s and Elisa maybe staying there.”
Gwen nodded and said, “Ah.” She glanced at Buster, who was sniffing the front yard. “We should get back inside. He can play in the backyard. I just wanted to walk him around the neighborhood a bit so that he could get used to the sights and smells.”
“Where is Elisa?” Myra asked.
“Inside. She had some company call her about her application right when this guy needed to go outside, so I offered to take him,” Gwen replied. “Are you coming in?”
“I was going to start working early, but if she’s on the phone, I’ll just come by later.”
“What? No, come on in. She’s in her room. I doubt it will take long, and we were just going to hang out until you got here anyway. I’m making margaritas. Do you like margaritas?”
“I haven’t had one in a while,” Myra replied. “I’m more of a beer girl.”
“Then, you can have a beer, and we’ll have the margaritas,” Gwen suggested. “Come on, Busta Rhymes,” she added to Buster. “I’ve already decided that’s his nickname.”
Myra laughed and followed the pair inside the house, where she watched Gwen take Buster off the leash. He then sprinted to the sofa, jumped all over it, jumped down, ran back over to Myra, and proceeded to sniff her feet before he jumped on her, putting his front paws on her thighs.
“Buster, no,” Gwen told him. “No jumping, buddy.”
He got down and moved around Myra as he continued to sniff.
“Hey, you.”
Myra looked up and saw Elisa standing at the top of the stairs, smiling down at her.
“Hi. I’m early.”
“I see that. Did you get a chance to meet my new little guy?” As if knowing Elisa was talking about him, Buster sped up the stairs to get to her. “Hey, Buster.” She knelt down and rubbed at his ears. “We just picked him up.”
“We met. He sniffed me. I think I passed the test.”
Elisa then began walking down the stairs toward Myra, and Buster, impatiently, sped ahead of her.
“That’s a terrier for you,” Gwen said.
Myra set her bag down on the floor, and when Elisa’s arms went around her neck, Myra pulled her against her.
“Hi,” Elisa said.
“Hi,” she replied and pushed some hair back away from Elisa’s face.
“I missed you,” Elisa said.
“I missed you, too,” Myra replied before she leaned in and kissed her.
“Oh, gross. I think Buster and I are going to vomit now,” Gwen teased.
Elisa laughed as she pulled back a little but not away from Myra and asked, “Did he go?”
“Yeah, he’s good. I thought we’d let him run off some of this energy in the backyard. I can toss one of those bones you got him out there and let him go at it.”
“Yes, please,” Elisa said. “I need to kiss her again and don’t want to hear the word ‘vomit.’”
Gwen laughed and headed toward the back of the house, Buster hot on her heels.
“So… You got a dog?”
“Kiss first,” Elisa said. “I only just started kissing you.”
Myra leaned in, and this time, she really kissed her.
She moved them until Elisa was pressed to the wall by the stairs.
One of Myra’s hands pressed to the wall while the other one moved to Elisa’s hip.
She slid her tongue inside and massaged Elisa’s with her own, running her hand up and down Elisa’s side, wishing they were alone so that she could touch more, touch longer.
After a minute, though, she pulled back and stared at Elisa’s slightly swollen lips.
“Holy fuck,” Elisa said .
Myra hoped that was a good thing.
“Stay,” Elisa added.
“I was already invited,” Myra replied, swiping her thumb along Elisa’s bottom lip. “You want to tell me about the new little guy in your life now?”