Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 75195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“And what would you like to drink?”
“Lenore’s Lament Lemonade.” I handed her my menu.
The waitress nodded and excused herself with a slight bow.
Scarlett leaned forward, propping herself up on her elbow. “So, he sneaks up all sexy and what not?”
There, I recounted the events of the date.
Scarlett listened, her eyes wide with excitement, occasionally interrupting with a shriek of laughter or a gasp of astonishment.
By the time I finished, we were already in the middle of eating our food, and Scarlett had her phone out with Tristan’s pictures glowing on the screen.
“I can’t even believe you returned home. I would have been waking up in his bed this morning.” She took a bite of her cake and scrolled to the next image that came up on her quick search. “This man is so fine, I bet women and men, regardless of sexual preference, stop what they are doing when he walks by.”
I almost choked on my pancakes.
“I mean for real. Like. . .” Scarlett swiped to another picture. “I bet he could wet a woman’s panties, with just a smile.”
He sure came close to doing that to me.
I chose not to say that part.
“And you were up on that table letting him do all types of nasty stuff.”
“In my defense—”
“You have no defense.” Scarlett laughed. “And no other healthy-minded woman would have a defense either.”
“But, there’s just one thing.” I lowered my fork and sipped my lemonade. “Tristan doesn’t want kids or a family. He’s only interested in this being a sex thing until I guess it gets. . .boring.”
“Yeah.” Scarlett gestured to his picture. “He looks like that. And why would you want him to commit? This gorgeous man should be shared by the world. Don’t be greedy.”
“Girl.” I rolled my eyes.
“I’m serious. I always hate when women hold on to the handsome men. Give his ass to the world. Why don’t they know that it is Community Dick?”
“I’m not doing this with you.” I grabbed my last bite of pancake.
Scarlett switched her attention to the duck. She had been going back and forth between cake and meat the whole time. “You know, Nova, I can’t understand why you’re so hung up on this idea that a relationship must be leading towards marriage and kids.”
“Girl, that’s all types of normal thinking.”
“Why can’t it just be about having fun and enjoying the moment? Isn’t that what life’s about?”
“Yeah, but it’s not that simple.” I set my lemonade down. “Fun is great, but relationships are about connection, understanding, and building something meaningful.”
“Yeah, but relationships are also about hot, sweaty sex too—”
“If it’s just physical, then what’s the point?” I held out my hands. “There’s no depth to it.”
“Depth?” Scarlett widened her eyes. “Who says depth can’t be found in physicality?”
“Can it?”
“Sometimes, the connection between two people is expressed best through their bodies. Not every relationship needs to end in freaking wedding bells to be valuable or meaningful.”
“Hmmm.”
“And that’s on Mary and her lamb as well as Jack and Jill with that bucket going up the hill. Facts on facts.”
I shook my head. “But don’t you think that’s a bit selfish?”
“Nope.”
“Just using someone for physical pleasure and then moving on when you’re bored? What does that say about us as human beings?”
“Here’s a secret.” Scarlett leaned forward.
I leaned in too. “What?”
She whispered, “Women like to fuck just as much as men.”
I sucked my teeth. “I know that. I am the one studying sexuality.”
“You wouldn’t think so the way you are overthinking this situation. Tristan is not groom-to-be material. He is Mr. Big Dick. And there is nothing wrong with Mr. Big Dick.”
“There is something wrong because good dick can lead to a lot of confusion and hurt feelings.”
“Not if both parties are on the same page.”
I leaned back in my chair. “Tell me more.”
“Focus on making this about exploring your desires and learning about yourself. Relationships like this can be freeing, and they teach you a lot about what you want in life.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “I actually. . .agree with that.”
“And who says that the goal always has to be marriage and kids for women? That’s a societal construct, Nova.”
“Correct again.”
“Not everyone wants that or needs that to feel fulfilled. Some people find joy in the journey itself, in the exploration, in the dance of human connection.”
“Alright. Alright, Pastor.” I held up my hand. “Amen.”
“And. . .” She held up another finger.
“And?”
“You need to be figuring out if he has any single friends for me. What is the hold up?”
“I got you.”
Scarlett tapped her watch. “Baby, the clock is ticking.”
“I will ask him today.”
Then, Scarlett’s eyes gleamed with a mix of concern and intrigue. “So, the latest on the manhunt for this murderer. . .”
“What? The one who set that poor woman on fire?” I pushed my fork to the side, suddenly losing my appetite.