Chapter 10
SARAH
Damn. So, that happened. Jackie was coming over tonight.
Now I just needed to plan a meal in my head and determine if I’d need to make groceries on the way home.
I hadn’t thought through the invitation.
It just came out, so I wasn’t even sure what I had in my kitchen.
I lived alone so I didn’t always feel the need to whip up a full meal if I wasn’t hungry or didn’t have the energy for it.
Takeout was my second-best friend, after Jesse.
Then I remembered I still had a meal delivery service kit I hadn’t prepared yet.
It was enough food for two, so it was perfect. Problem solved.
The rest of the day went smoothly. After seeing the last few patients for annual physicals and sending out their prescription refills, I caught up on reviewing some labs and charts along with some paperwork and called it a day.
As I was walking to my car, nerves arose in my stomach.
A million butterflies took flight. I sat in the driver’s seat for a few minutes and meditated to calm myself.
I knew this was a combination of excitement and anxiety, but ever the optimist, I pushed the anxious feelings away and opted for excitement.
I put a smile on my face, pushed the start button on the dash, and exited the parking lot for the trip home.
By the time I crossed the threshold into my loft, it was going on six p.m. Per usual, I tossed my keys in the basket on the entryway table and rushed to take a quick shower to wash off the day.
Jackie messaged me just a few minutes ago to let me know she was on her way, so by the time she got here, I’d be ready.
Those pesky nerves tried to emerge again, but they’d have to wait until later to be handled.
I threw my hair up in a knot, and once the water in the shower was steaming, I jumped in and let the heat relax me.
Standing there, my mind drifted back to that fucking kiss.
The origin story for my current anxious state.
Arousal replaced the nerves, and a different kind of wetness pooled between my legs.
Choosing to prolong my orgasm until later, I shook it off and finished my shower routine.
There’d be plenty of time to get myself off to thoughts of Jackie’s lush tits later tonight when I was in bed alone.
At six twenty-eight, there was a knock on my door.
Of course she was on time. I quickly looked around the space to make sure it was presentable for company.
A few blankets were thrown across the back of my sofa, and my yoga mat was still out from this morning, but it was otherwise tidy. It would do.
I began tucking non-existent fly-aways behind my ear out of anxiousness. I wanted this to go well. I wanted my old friend back, even if that’s all it ended up being.
I grabbed my step stool (yes, I really had one), and peered out of the peephole just to be sure it was her.
Safety first, friends! I saw Jackie’s beautiful face with that short hair that was so dark brown it was almost black and the cutest black frames sitting atop her nose.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped down from my position, tucked my stool back in its place, and opened the door.
The woman on the other side greeted me with a small wave and slight grin.
Nothing too showy, but I could see she was happy to be here.
“Hey, girl! Come on in.” I moved to give her space to enter, and she paused to face me.
Her facial expression told me she was pondering something, and next thing I know, I’m being embraced.
I hug Jackie back and sink into the feeling of her body against mine.
I loved how she was soft like me. Women with bodies similar to mine were what I loved and preferred.
I cleared my head before my thoughts took off without me while at the same time Jackie’s arms returned to her side.
She smiled a little bigger, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Get it together bitch.
“Let me give you a quick tour.” We journeyed into the open floor plan of my loft.
At this time of the evening, it was already dark out, but city lights lit the sky through the floor to ceiling windows in the living space.
To the right was the kitchen with dark cabinetry and light marble countertops.
I’d already pulled out some of the items I’d need for dinner.
“Are you thirsty? I have bottled water, sparkling water, and other things, but I wanted to be mindful of your blood sugar.” I stopped there to keep from rambling.
“Bottled water is fine, thanks. Wow, Sarah, you have a really nice place. This is stunning.”
“Thank you, thank you. And there to the left on the other side of the living room is my bedroom and attached bathroom.” She moved to peek through briefly then returned to the kitchen.
I handed her a cold bottle of water, and I had to look away as she wrapped those full lips around the mouth of it and tip her head back to drink.
I busied myself gathering the rest of what I needed to make dinner, hoping she didn’t see the blush overtake my face.
“So, I’m making Vietnamese style meatballs. I had a meal delivery kit leftover that feeds two. It comes with rice, carrots, and cucumbers and is garnished with small chunks of peanuts and a sweet chili sauce. I hope that sounds okay?” My inflection at the end betrayed my nerves.
“I’ve never had it before, but trying new foods can be part of our project, right?” Now, her inflection held a tone of excitement, unlike mine.
“Totally! Now, take a seat and tell me about your day.” I busied myself with prepping our meal while she prattled on about what she did.
“My therapy session went well. I’ve been seeing Dr. Potter for a few years now.
She’s helped me manage my anxiety in so many ways and most recently, cope with getting through my divorce and all the red flags I overlooked for so long.
” She dropped her face in what I could only assume was embarrassment.
“Hey, don’t be embarrassed. It’s fine. I’m a huge advocate for mental wellness. Whatever it takes for a person to get there.” Jackie sat up straighter, seeming more confident, and I loved it. Any encouraging words I could offer, I would.
“I’m not embarrassed about going to therapy.
It’s more about all the shit I let slide with my ex for all those years.
It’s more that I just felt so stupid. But I’ve worked through that and have a better outlook on myself.
And there’s a lot I want to explore about life and myself.
Things I never got to do before. I’m eager, even.
” She sighed, but it sounded almost hopeful.
“I’m so glad you’ve made progress. That’s amazing Jackie!” I finished prepping the meal and put the meatballs in the oven while the rice was cooking on the stovetop.
“Your view from here is gorgeous, Sarah.” She’d spun the stool to face the balcony outside.
“Feel free to check it out.” I urged her. I stirred the rice then we ambled over to the sliding door that led to my wraparound balcony. A cool night breeze met us as we stepped out to admire the city lights and beyond. It was unintentionally romantic.
“This is really nice,” she mumbled as she leaned over to rest on the railing. My eyes roamed over the curves of her profile, wishing the romantic energy was real. We stood and listened to the sounds around us—car horns, the rail train, music from a nearby bar. For me they were almost soothing.
I noticed a slight shiver run through Jackie, so I pulled her back inside. “There are blankets on the couch if you’re cold,” I offered. “The food should be ready soon. Get comfortable.”
I plated our meals and brought them out to the living area. I took the armchair next to the couch and handed Jackie her bowl. “Did you want some more water?”
“Yeah, please.” She dove in and closed her eyes for a moment. The most sinful moan escaped her, and her eyes shot back open. A slight blush creeped up her neck, and I chuckled.
“This is freaking delicious Sarah. The way the flavor of the sauce complements the seasonings within the meatballs. Perfection. And I love different textures of everything. This is great.” Her eyes now held delight and satisfaction.
“I’m glad you like it. I hadn’t had this meal before either, but it’s going down as a win.”
After we finished up our meal, I took our dishes to the sink, rinsed them out and left them in the sink to load in the dishwasher later. Jackie was scrolling through her phone, and when she caught me looking, she apologized and set it aside.
“So, shall we discuss some potential activities for this mission of yours?” I retrieved a notepad and pen from a junk drawer in my kitchen and settled back in the chair.
“I hadn’t thought about it yet. It’s only been a few days, but I want to do one new thing a month, start off with. Slow and steady, right?” She chortled, obviously caught unprepared.
“Okay, I’ll surprise you then. Fair?” She leaned forward and put her hand out to shake on it.
I cackled internally at the formality of it, but when our palms met, sparks shot through my entire body, and I noted the widening of not only her eyes, but her pupils.
Something told me she felt that current just like I did.
An idea popped into my head, so I made a note to check the activity calendar at Rainbow Center over the next few weeks.
“I’ll put together a few plans and text you later this week.” Now my elation was evident. I was shit at hiding it. Oh. Fucking. Well.
“I enjoyed spending this evening with you, Sarah. I missed how easy it was with you back in the day, and I’m ready to make up for lost time.
” She picked up her purse and stood to leave.
I walked her back to the entryway, not exactly ready for her to go, but wanting to give her time to process what we discussed.
She said once a month, but I didn’t know if I could go with only seeing her so sporadically.