Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“We may have, you know, done some dry-humping.”
“Dry-humping?” Soledad places both feet on the floor and leans forward.
“Is it still considered dry-humping if you come?” I risk a mischievous look at my friend. “’Cause lemme tell you, it was one of the best orgasms of my life.”
“On this couch where I’m sitting?” Soledad leaps to her feet. “Ewww, Hen. I need to disinfect.”
“Girl, sit down.” I grab the belt loop of her jeans and pull her back to the sectional. “There were no fluids released on this couch so calm yourself, Mrs. Mayer.”
“So not just friends, huh?”
“We are. I really want us to be because he…” I swallow and eye the card on the coffee table. “His friendship has come to mean a lot to me. I love talking to him, but it can’t be more than that.”
“Because of Zere?”
My eyes fly up to meet hers. “Of course because of Zere. I mean, maybe she is dating, but I think she’d feel some type of way if anything happened with Maverick and me this soon.”
“And if she wasn’t a factor?”
I don’t even want to speculate about that. I can’t allow myself to entertain any reality where I could give in to this.
“But she is, and I won’t endanger Chapel’s chances, or my chances for that matter, at getting this TV show made. She’s worked hard and she deserves this opportunity.”
“You deserve it, too,” Soledad says softly, “but you are someone who deserves all things, not just one.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, almost afraid to hear her explanation.
“I know you don’t want kids, and that’s fine. I get it. I respect it. I believe it.” Soledad pauses. “But you’ve never said you don’t want a partner.”
“No, because I do. The right partner, not just settling for someone because everyone thinks there’s a clock ticking.” I suck my teeth. “Fuck that. I’m not interested in spending one day with someone not worth my time, much less years.”
“Guess I’m a cautionary tale on wasting years with a trash man, huh?” Soledad looks down at the slim fingers settled serenely in her lap.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Sol.” I reach over and grab her hand. “I know Edward wasn’t like that when you first met. And he hid so much from you for so long.”
I hate the thought of Soledad feeling even an ounce of shame when there’s no woman I admire more, considering all she has achieved and how far she has come on her own.
“Honey, I’m fine,” Soledad laughingly assures me, bringing my knuckle up for a quick kiss. “I got my man now, the right one. And let me tell you, ain’t nothing like the right one.”
I nod my agreement as if I understand, but if I’m honest, no one has ever felt right.
Not until…
No one except…
“Do you remember what you told me when I was about to ruin everything with Judah because I was so hung up on making sure I had my shit all the way sorted and healed before starting another relationship?”
“Vaguely? I mean, obviously it would have been something brilliant and wise because it’s me,” I joke. “But the specifics are hazy.”
“Well, I remember.” Soledad’s already soft expression goes even softer, even sweeter. “You said Judah might seem to be the wrong person for me. I mean, he did send my husband to prison.”
“An act of valor, if you ask me,” I say, and we both laugh.
“So he seemed to be the most wrong person imaginable,” Sol continues, “but you said it sounded like the universe delivered exactly the right one because of how he loved me, understood me.”
“I said that?”
“Sure did, and you know what else you said?”
“Wow, I was really on a roll, huh? What other pearls of wisdom did I drop?”
“You said being whole means acknowledging all our parts. And that there were parts of me that wanted to be held, want to be needed and loved.” She pauses and searches my face. “I know there’s a part of you that wants to be a successful producer, to fulfill those ambitions, but is it at the cost of the other parts? The parts that might want something else? That might want someone? Will you have to sacrifice those other parts for this one?”
I keep my face smooth, but there is a spinning top in my head, scattering my thoughts with every rotation.
“There was one last thing you said,” Soledad continues softly.
“Well, damn,” I say with a shaky laugh. “Did you record this conversation?”
“No, but I replayed it over and over in my head. It was the nudge I needed to pursue the love of my life, so it stuck with me.”
“What did past Hendrix tell you, in her infinite wisdom?”
“You said don’t throw it away. Give it a chance.”
I absorb the words, an echo of advice I shared that helped my girl make the right move and choose the true love of her life when her trauma and uncertainty made her hesitate.