Chapter 11 Lucy #3
Marsh’s eyes flash down to my bare skin, and I can feel his chest rise and fall against me. His gaze shoots right back up to Dani, but the way his eyes lingered on my thighs doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Marsh, where have you been hiding this one?” Dani asks.
“I wasn’t hiding her,” Marsh says calmly. His thumb gently rubs my back.
“How did the two of you meet?” Dani says, her eyes dancing back and forth between us.
“At a bar,” I answer. “I saw him across the room, and I just couldn’t not talk to him.”
It’s the truth. That night at Jay’s party I saw Marsh looking at records and I really did think he was attractive. I went up to him, and when I saw he was holding “The Girl Is Mine,” I felt his taste in music was the perfect opportunity to start a conversation.
“You went up to him?” Dani repeats, and it feels like a jab at both of us.
“I mean, how could I not?” I say like she’s one of my girlfriends. Like we’re in on a secret together. “Look at him. There’s no way I was letting that opportunity slip past me.”
“I see,” Dani says, unconvinced. “And when was this?”
“A few months ago,” Marsh says, remembering our conversation from before. He looks at me, and I give him a little wink. In response, he squeezes my side, making me giggle.
“I see.” Dani taps the side of her drink. “So, what do you do, Lucy?”
“I’m a writer.”
“News?”
“Oh no.” I wrap my arm around Marsh’s shoulder, leaning in closer. “That’s Marsh’s territory—”
“But she has great intuition. She could transition if she wanted to,” Marsh says. My head spins to his. Our faces are a little closer than natural but there’s a genuine look in his eyes.
“Thank you,” I say just loud enough that only he can hear.
“I mean it,” he says softly.
“What do you write about?” Dani’s voice causes me to whip my head back.
“Sex,” I say, and she looks stunned.
“Sex?”
“Mhm. I also cover dating and relationships, but sex is really the gist of it.”
“Well, that’s, uh…interesting. Isn’t it, Marsh?” Dani shifts her focus to him.
“It’s great,” he says. “One of my favorite pieces Lucy’s done is ‘What Is Microcheating? And Are You a Victim?’ ” Marsh says, and Dani’s face becomes hard.
“You read that one?” I ask, knowing very well that it was a story I did almost two years ago.
“Yeah. I think I’ve read everything you’ve written.”
This piece of information sits with me. I haven’t met anyone who’s read everything I’ve ever written. Not even my own parents. I want to ask why, but my thoughts are interrupted yet again by the sound of Dani’s shrill voice.
“So, you write about sex,” she repeats. “How does one get into that?”
“I mean, write about what you know, right?” I laugh and Dani does not find that funny. “You get into it the same way you would get into any profession.”
“I’ve just never met a sex writer,” Dani says, and there’s an edge to when she says the word sex, like she’s maybe extremely religious, which is fine. Or she’s just a straight-up prude. “That must be interesting for your relationship.”
She’s shameless. I’ll give her that.
“Oh, it’s been amazing for our relationship,” I say, hoping Marsh will forgive me for what I’m about to say next. “Marsh is a racehorse, and honestly, I’d never been into anal before him.”
Marsh immediately starts choking on his drink, and Dani’s face turns a shade of red that brings out exactly the areas where she used concealer.
“Well, I think I better head back to my friends,” Dani says, standing up. “Lucy, it was…nice meeting you. And, Marsh”—she looks at him skeptically—“I’ll see you at the wedding?”
“Uh, yeah.” Marsh finds his voice. “We’ll be there.”
“Oh.” Dani cocks her head. “You’re both going?”
“I RSVP’d for two,” he says.
“Right,” she says, almost annoyed. “All right, well…see you then, Lucy.”
“Nice meeting you, Dani.” I stay seated on Marsh’s lap.
We both stay where we are—my arm around his shoulder, his grip on my waist—until Dani disappears into the crowd of people.
“Oh my god.” Marsh lets out a giant exhale and rests his forehead on my arm. “Thank you.”
“She’s lovely, isn’t she?” I say.
“I seriously don’t know what I would’ve done without you. I can’t lie in front of everyone at the wedding. I could barely lie to Dani, and I hate her.”
“Practice makes perfect,” I say rubbing his back. “Did you see the look on her face when I told her I write about sex?”
“Yeah, she and Julia aren’t necessarily the most…easygoing people.”
“What do they do for work?” I ask.
“Dani’s in accounting,” he says, and that checks out. “Julia’s an elementary school teacher.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah,” Marsh says. “Why?”
“God, Marsh, that’s like the most wholesome job you could ever have! No wonder Dani was caught off guard by my articles. You used to date a nun.”
“She is far from a nun, believe me.”
“Fine, it’s just…hard to compete with that.” I grimace.
“Hey”—he adjusts to get a better look at me—“it’s no competition.”
I’m suddenly aware I’m still sitting on his lap and his hand is dangerously close to my ass.
“Right.” I smile and carefully move back to my seat.
“So”—he takes a sip of his beer—“anal, huh?”