by Lia London
Nikki listened to Janna work through her love life, murmuring sympathetic syllables and validating her friend for any rational thoughts. As she moved through the produce section and then headed over to the cereal aisle, Ross followed along, pushing the cart. She paused in front of the sugary cereals, suddenly embarrassed at her mental shopping list.
Ross reached for the family-size box of Froot Loops, giving her a chagrined wink. Nikki answered by pointing to her cart and giving a thumbs up. He grabbed another, beaming open-mouthed at her. The game continued down the aisles, with Nikki buying everything he did except the shaving cream.
“You sure about that?” he whispered, pretending to check out her legs.
She laughed and slapped his shoulder playfully.
“How is that funny?” asked Janna.
Nikki held up a warning finger to Ross. “Sorry, Jan. Not laughing at you. I just saw some really weird kid playing in the beauty aisle.”
Ross stepped back, smothering his laughter with his hands. The way his eyes shone made Nikki’s chest tighten.
“Listen, Jan. Let me finish up at the store, and I’ll come by and pick you up, okay?”
“What?”
“I gotta go. I love you. Bye!” She ended the call, reluctant to let go of this little connection to Ross.
“Did you talk her down from the ledge?” His fingers brushed hers as she handed him the phone.
“For now. She can be kind of dramatic.”
“You’re a good friend.”
Nikki felt her toes curl at the compliment. She licked her lips, unable to tear her eyes from his. “So are you. I can’t believe you stayed and helped me shop like this.”
“I had to. You had my phone.”
“Oh.” Was that all?
Ross grinned and pulled his packed basket out of her cart. “I guess I bought more than usual.” He stuffed his phone back into his jacket. “I was having too much fun.”
Flowers bloomed inside of her. “Fun?” She tried to flip her hair nonchalantly but her fake wedding ring caught. “You don’t get out much.” She tugged her finger free and worked to untangle the prongs of the setting from her hair.
Without a word, Ross took over the struggle and soon slid the ring free without pulling out a single hair. She closed her eyes, wishing she could lean into his hands, close to her cheek. Like the phone. When she opened her eyes, he was holding the ring to her as if he were proposing. Oh my gosh, I’m getting all romantic in the shampoo aisle! What is wrong with me?
“Don’t you want this back?”
She took it from him, suddenly deflated by her ongoing lie. “I guess.”
“Not a lot of conviction there.” His face softened.
“It doesn’t mean what it should,” she said, searching for a way to confess without ruining the moment they’d shared. I’ll never think of a grocery store the same way.
Ross’ smile vanished. “That’s too bad. It should mean everything.”
Nikki’s throat went dry and she looked at the floor. Yep. I have a run in my nylons. Just like the one in my heart. She smiled weakly. “Yes. It should. One day, it will.”
A toddler with a bag of chips ran giggling between them, pursued by a harried mother. The jostling of carts and shouts separated Ross and Nikki.
“Well, I guess I’d better go now. See you on Monday,” he said waving.
“Right. See you then.” He’d made it to the end of the aisle before she remembered to add, “Happy Halloween!”
“Nikki, I don’t understand the hang-up,” said Janna, snapping her gum and examining her freshly fuchsia-tipped toe. “The man is gorgeous, single, and totally in to you.”
“And I can’t trust him,” said Nikki, shutting the door on two zombies and a vampire. Janna, still nursing her sprained ankle and heart had consented to keep Nikki company for the Halloween trick-or-treat doorbell duty.
“Can’t trust him to what?”
I can’t trust myself. Too much chemistry like one of those stupid love-hate things. “Janna, if he thought I was single, I might be tempted. I mean, duh. But since I know he thinks I’m married and that still doesn’t stop him… Well, what does that mean? He’s a cheater. He’s not interested in anything serious.”
“Nikki, does it have to be serious? I’m just trying to get you out on a date, period. I can count the successes in your love life on one hand, and that includes Timmy Fluverstein in second grade.”
“Ha ha,” said Nikki humorlessly. Like you should be giving me dating advice. “Kissing a kid with no front teeth hardly counts.” Nikki groaned. “I just want someone honorable. Is that too much to ask?”
“Not everyone can be as perfect of character as Officer Chubbo.”
Nikki frowned. “Officer Ross isn’t chubby. Not even close. He’s…broad shouldered.”
“Right. He’s a cop,” said Janna, retouching her pinky toe and adjusting her ice pack. “I saw him in the salon smock.”
“I’ve never once seen him eat a doughnut,” said Nikki. “He eats fresh fruit a lot, though.” She smiled at the memory of his apple-munching lips.
Janna re-capped the polish bottle and studied Nikki closely. “You like him, don’t you? That’s your whole problem with the Coach. You’re crushing on the campus cop!”
Heat rushed to Nikki’s cheeks, and a knot formed in her throat. “Maybe?” The doorbell rang, and Nikki answered it to a family of four assorted Star Wars characters. The littlest Yoda had a runny nose that had streaked the green face paint. Nikki stifled a gag and tossed two Tootsie Pops into each pillowcase. She checked to see how much foot traffic was coming their way, and decided she was safe to sit down on the couch with Janna.
“You know he’s too ‘honorable’ to ever make a pass at a married woman,” said Janna.
Nikki hissed like a cat and wagged her fuzzy velveteen cat tail at Janna. “I know. I know.”
“I told you this would bite you in the butt.”
Nikki stuffed a chocolate Tootsie Pop in her mouth to stop a frustrated scream. “There’s something to be said about a guy that doesn’t flirt with a married woman but still treats her with respect.”
Janna heaved herself to her feet. “Noble, and totally useless.”
The doorbell rang again, and Nikki grunted. Good grief. These kids never stop coming! She doled out the goods to a girl in a ridiculously long, blonde wig who had a toddler bumble bee in tow. As soon as she shut the door, she slammed the switch to turn off the porch light.
“Closing up shop so soon?” asked Janna.
“The kids coming up the street are getting bigger. I see enough teens all week.” Her mind went back to the conversation a few moments ago, and she flopped down on the couch. “He’s nice to everyone.”
“Officer Ross,” said Janna, clarifying.
“Yes. He makes everyone feel special. That’s a gift, you know.”
“Isn’t that what the Coach does?” teased Janna. “He makes all the women swoon.” She hobbled towards the bathroom. “You got a hair dryer in there?”
Nikki pointed vaguely. “Yeah, but…Officer Ross makes me feel special, and I don’t think he’s even trying.”
Janna rolled her eyes and plugged in the hair dryer beside the TV. “Whatever you say. But you’d better get a divorce if you want that guy to ask you out on a date.”
Nikki sat up. “Janna, you’re a genius!”
“Duh.”
“I’ve been so worried about how to tell everyone I’m not really married, that I didn’t even think about just getting a divorce!” She tapped her chin. “But on what grounds? I mean, why would my imaginary husband divorce me?!”
“Can’t you divorce him?” Janna aimed the hair dryer at her toes.
The whirring sound continued for a moment while Nikki thought. “If I do the divorcing, it’ll make me look fickle. I think it’d work better if he had an affair with a hot airline hostess in Bangladesh or something.”
Janna focused heavy
-lidded eyes on Nikki. “You want your imaginary husband to cheat on you, but you won’t go cheat on him with the hot coach?” She aimed the blow dryer at Nikki’s face. “You, my dear, are completely crazy.”
“Yes, but it’s working for me so far.”
Janna snickered and unplugged the hair dryer. Nikki, stroking Meriwether’s fur, chewed the Tootsie Pop. “But if I’m suddenly having marital problems, Coach will probably take that as a green light to be even more aggressive.”
“So be sneaky,” said Janna. “Just slip little comments to your cop.”
“Yeah, I’ll have to be really careful. Teachers are worse gossips than the kids.”
Meriwether, who had been purring, turned with a warning nip at her wrist. The cat sat tall, her perfect posture giving her a coquettish look. Her green eyes flashed, and a musical mew questioned Nikki. Encouraged, Nikki nuzzled her nose into Meriwether’s cheek.
Chomp!
“Ow! You bit my nose?” Clutching the tip of her nose, Nikki leaned over to Janna. “Did it leave a mark?”
The doorbell rang, and Nikki groaned.
“Those kids don’t know the lights-off protocol,” said Janna, taking Nikki’s spot on the couch and lifting her ankle back onto the ice pack. “Go roar at them!”
Nikki opened the door in a quick movement, yowling like an angry cat. The noise ended in a strangled gasp as she saw Will standing at the door.
“Well, aren’t you the cutest little kitty I’ve ever seen?” he said smoothly.
Nikki stared up at him, suddenly very aware of her form-fitting black cat costume. She wished for a moment that she was fluffier and fatter, like Meriwether. Fingering the invisible bite marks on her nose, she whimpered. “Happy Halloween?”
“Very happy,” he smiled, leaning on the door jam. The pose only accentuated the perfect sculpting of his upper body, and Nikki silently cursed his cologne for making parts of her feel dribbly and dumb.
“Hi!” Janna had maneuvered herself over the back of the couch and sat gaping at Will with open admiration. “I’m Nikki’s best friend, Janna. Are you the famous Coach Carlin?”
His eyes took a quick sip of Janna’s long legs and then returned to settle on Nikki’s face. “Famous?”
Nikki swallowed a lump in her throat. “Well, you know. You guys went undefeated this season.” She pulled the door closed a little, standing in such a way as to block his entrance. “What brings you by? Don’t you have wild party plans on a night like this?”
“I was over on the campus at Trench earlier this evening, and thought I’d stop by.”
“Now? On Halloween?”
“Am I so scary?” he asked, leaning closer.
Yes! I’m scared my hormones will override my good sense!
“No husband tonight?” he observed. “He sure is gone a lot.”
Nikki looked back at Janna, her face full of desperation. Get me out of this, she mouthed.
Janna hopped over to stand behind Nikki. “Are you stalking my friend?” she asked.
Will’s mouth dropped open. He seemed to grapple for an answer. “I…Like I said, I was just in the area.”
“Okay, well, you’d better scoot. Her hubby is totally the jealous type, and he’s just as big as you are.”
“Yes, I remember.”
Janna flashed Nikki an inquisitive look before nudging Nikki aside with her hip. She now stood with the door almost closed. Nikki willingly, gratefully slipped back to the couch, trying to calm her breathing.
“Well, you two have a fun night.” Will tried to peer over Janna’s head. “I’ll see you Monday, Nikki!”
“Bye!” she called back, signaling to Janna to hurry up and shut the door already.
Janna closed the door a few more inches so that only her head peeked out. “I, on the other hand, am totally single. No ties to psycho pilots whatsoever.” She winked and shut the door.
“I can’t believe you just did that!”
Janna leaned back against the door. “What are friends for? But why did he act like he’d already met your husband?”
“He met Charlie.”
“Oooh, hunkalicious. When do I get to meet Charlie? The pictures of him on your phone are so adorable.”
Nikki beamed with pride. “If you behave yourself and stay out of night clubs for a while, I might introduce you.”
“Deal. Anyway, you now have a husband with a scary reputation, and Coach might actually back off for a day or two.”
They settled in to watch Ghostbusters—a Fallon family tradition on Halloween. About the time Bill Murray made a terrible pass at Sigourney Weaver, Janna snatched up the remote. “Okay, what gives? You are not watching the same movie I am because you look miserable.”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about Will.”
Janna burst out laughing. “Okay, now really spill. How is dreaming about him a bad thing?”
Nikki groaned and stomped her foot, feeling like a little child. “You don’t get it.”
“No, I don’t,” agreed Janna. “Explain it to me.”
“He’s been so nice all week,” whined Nikki.
Janna stared at Nikki. “Run that play again, Coach?”
“He’s been super nice to me all week,” said Nikki with a desperate sadness. “He always speaks like a gentleman, holds the door for me, gives nice—but appropriate—compliments.”
“Sounds like he’s in rare form.”
“But then he said something in the gym the other day, and comes here…”
Janna fluffed her platinum bangs. “You are hopeless. Why is it bad that a gorgeous, gainfully employed man is being nice to you?”
“He didn’t even react when you flirted.”
“Rub it in, why don’t you?”
“I’ve never seen a guy not react to you flirting, Jan. You’re gorgeous.”
“Think about it, Nik,” said Janna, getting up and hopping to the fridge. “He’s used to getting any woman he wants. He meets you and sees you’re different. He’s puzzled by your response. He realizes you are what he’s been looking for all these years, and yet you reject him. You are unobtainable. The forbidden fruit.” Janna shrugged and grabbed a handful of ice. “I know you like the cop, but he’s not particularly interested.” She rummaged in the cupboard and found a box of Ziplocs. Making a new ice pack, she shook her head. “Who knows? I think you should at least give the guy a shot. The Coach, I mean.”
Nikki pondered this angle, but her heart steered her onto a different track of thought: Ross. His smile, the way he waved at nearly everyone, and the funny looks he gave her through the window of her classroom when no one else could see. The noble clown.
“That’s more like it,” said Janna.
“Huh?”
“You’re smiling at whatever you’re thinking. Go that way. That’s making you happy.”
Nikki’s eyebrows flew up in surprise then dropped back down and folded themselves with resignation. Ross would never, in a million years, make a pass at me because I’m a married woman. Forgetting herself, Nikki grunted and punched her thigh in frustration.
Janna sat beside her and dropped the ice on her raised ankle. “What now?” she laughed. “You’re like multiple personalities in there. Think out loud so I can follow you.”
Nikki shook her head. I don’t want you to say anything negative about Ross. “I can’t go out with Will. He’s got so much experience, and I’ll be like a twelve-year-old.”
Janna gave her a sidelong grin. “Believe me. Instincts kick in. You’d get it right eventually.”
“You’re not hearing me. I don’t want to go fast. It scares me. The two guys I did go out with wanted to jump in the sack the first night. I mean, that can’t be right.” Nikki doubted she’d get a serious answer from Janna, but she asked, “Can it? Do you hit grown up and then it’s all right to…to…” Janna stifled a giggle. “Janna, don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not laughing at your morals, Nikki. I just think it’s funny you can’t even say it.
” She adjusted a pillow under her leg. “Nikki, there’s nothing wrong with you except fear. It’s okay that you don’t want to have sex on a first date.”
“Or a second or a third!”
Janna’s face became serious, and she touched Nikki’s hand. “That’s okay. That’s probably better than okay. Then you really know if he likes you, or if he just likes that particular recreational activity.”
“It’s not a recreational activity, Janna,” said Nikki. “Not to me. It’s not like I’d say, ‘So, should we go bowling, or have sex?’ and he’d answer, ‘Oh, I dunno, I was thinking of going out for pizza.’ There has to be more to it than that.”
Tears welled unexpectedly in Janna’s eyes. “You’re right.”
“Oh, Janna. I’m sorry.”
Janna wiggled the toes of her sprained ankle and frowned. “But you are right. Troy was total proof of that. I wish I’d known that earlier.” The tears took the dive and tumbled down her cheeks. “I wish I’d figured out the whole ‘wait for it” thing earlier in life. It’s hard when you start dating young because it starts off innocent enough, but then holding hands turns to kissing, turns to making out, turns to groping. Each new relationship sort of picks up where the last one left off physically until you’ve gone all the way. And then you come to expect that’s part of a date. It just becomes cheaper and cheaper.” She gulped back a sigh. “It’s hard to go back to innocence. I don’t know if you really can.”
Nikki reached over and hugged Janna tightly, unsure of what to say. Janna had never before indicated that her active night life was a burden of any kind.
“I love you, Nik,” said Janna. “And I won’t push you into the Coach any more. It’s your decision. Do things at your own speed.”
“Thanks.” She tucked Janna’s hair behind her ear and reached for the Kleenex. “You can, too, you know.”
“What?” Janna had to dig to the bottom of the box to find a tissue.
“You can take back control of that stuff. You can wait.”
“It’s too late for me, Nik.”
“No, it’s not, Janna. Don’t you listen in church? You can start over any time.”
Janna made a laughing-crying noise and squeezed Nikki. “Yeah?”
