Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
He walked me to the door and held it open for me. “Take care, Armando. And text me, no matter what you decide about going out with me.”
“I will.” I started to head for the elevators. When I looked back at him, he shifted his gaze up from my ass and grinned at me. I should have said something flirty, but instead I just waved and kept walking.
Man, I sucked so bad at this. I’d never known how to flirt. In high school, Kit’s mom had been the one to pursue me, not the other way around. She’d been my first girlfriend, my first everything. Nine months later, I had a baby to think about. Dating didn’t just get moved to the back burner, it got shelved and all but forgotten.
Even after my son grew up, I barely dated. In part, it was because work really did take all my time. But also, I was shy and awkward and had no idea how to put myself out there.
I’d been in my early twenties when I admitted to myself I was bisexual, but I never did anything about it. Actually, I never did anything about my love life in general. I just sat back and waited for people to come to me. On the rare occasions I dated, it was either a blind date set up by mutual friends, or because someone asked me out. That hadn’t included any men—until now.
It was exciting… and also a little terrifying.
After showering and getting dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, I packed my things and carefully hung the tuxedo in its garment bag. I doubted I’d ever have a reason to wear it again, but my son Kit had had it custom-made for me, so I wanted to keep it nice.
I checked out of the hotel and drove across town to the pink Victorian Kit and his husband Devon called home. They were on a plane to Europe for their honeymoon, but three of their housemates had asked me to join them for brunch before I drove back to San Diego.
The only parking spot I could find was several blocks from my destination. That meant I was late by the time I finally climbed the Victorian’s front steps. I really hated that.
Vee answered my knock with an enthusiastic, “Welcome, Manny!” He was a handsome South Asian guy in his mid-thirties, and one of the most outgoing people I’d ever met. He’d probably sensed I was feeling a bit lost during the whirlwind of activities leading up to the wedding, so he’d ended up taking me under his wing.
“I’m so sorry I kept you waiting,” I said. “It took a while to find parking.”
“It’s totally fine. We’re just kicking back out on the patio.”
I followed him through the house, and we joined Yolanda and JoJo in the beautifully landscaped backyard. The two women owned the Victorian, and they’d always treated their tenants—and by extension, me—like family.
JoJo raised a glass and called, “Hi, Manny! We already started drinking.”
I apologized again for being late and said, “I’m glad you started without me.”
She looked stylish in a yellow sundress, with a floral scarf tying back her platinum blonde hair. It made me think I should have dressed up a bit. Then again, Vee had gone with a mesh tank top and cargo pants, and Yolanda was in a sweatshirt and cut-off denim shorts, so the dress code was pretty hard to pin down.
“We’re having mimosas,” JoJo said, “because Kit and Devon sent us home with six bottles of leftover champagne after the reception. Can I make you one?”
“No, thanks. I overdid it on the champagne last night, so I don’t plan on drinking again any time soon.” I sat down on a rattan armchair and cut right to the chase. “Speaking of drinking way too much, did I say or do anything embarrassing last night? Please be honest. I need to know how much of an apology I owe my son and his husband.”
“You were fine.” Yolanda pulled her dark hair into a ponytail, fastening it with an elastic band from around her wrist as she said, “Everyone was a bit tipsy, but it was to be expected. That’s why Kit and Devon had reserved a block of rooms for all of us. They knew we’d all be sloshed and in no condition to drive after that open bar.”
JoJo asked me, “Did you go to the after-party? Yolanda and I gave it a skip. After all that dancing at the reception, we were more than ready to relax in the huge jacuzzi bathtub in our hotel room.” She and her wife exchanged flirty smiles.
“I went, but I didn’t stay long.”
I thanked Vee when he handed me a glass of orange juice, and he said, “You were definitely hammered by that point, but you didn’t do anything embarrassing. You came in and said something to me about meeting a hot guy. Two minutes later, you hugged Kit and Devon, told them you loved them, and left again.”