Too Close to Touch
Page 24
“You think so?”
“I’m sure of it.”
“Okay.” In truth, Kylie was looking forward to their first dinner with friends as a couple. It had been several weeks and they were taking things very slowly, but dinner with Pete and Allyson was a big step for Gretchen; Kylie knew that. They were a part of Gretchen’s life that she didn’t share with many people. The ramifications were not lost on Kylie. “How’s your day going?”
“Really well. It’s still a little weird being at a small company like this. I keep expecting the usual corporate bullshit and politics, but there really isn’t any. It’s kind of nice.”
“You seem a lot more relaxed, you know.” Kylie had noticed almost immediately the change in Gretchen. She was not nearly as tightly wound. “This new job agrees with you.”
“I think there are other factors involved.” Kylie felt her heart warm. “Maybe.”
“Listen, sweetheart, I’ve got another call coming in so I’ve got to go. I’ll scoot to your place in a bit and let Jake out during lunch, okay?”
Kylie couldn’t hide her surprise. “Are you sure you have time? I can do it.”
“No, no. It’s okay. I want to. If you don’t mind.”
“Mind? Of course not. Brandy asked me to lunch anyway.”
“Tell her you’re spoken for.”
Kylie laughed. “She’s straight, honey.”
“Yeah, well, we’re all straight until we’re not. Gotta run. Hey, you didn’t tell me which color. Blue or black?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”
“Tease. Bye.”
“Bye.” Kylie returned the phone to its cradle with a smile.
She still couldn’t believe how well things were going. They had their issues, it was true. Gretchen still had trouble letting go of work at the end of the day, even though she now worked for a much smaller company with a lot less demand and she was enjoying it immensely.
Every so often, Kylie had to remind her to leave the office at the office.
It was something they were working on, something that would take time, but something that was definitely worth the effort.
Jake was another surprise. An eight-week-old puppy wasn’t always the easiest way to introduce dogs to somebody who’d never had one, but Gretchen had taken to the white, black, and brown speckled Australian Shepherd immediately. She’d gone with Kylie to pick him out and had held him the entire hour-long ride home. They’d definitely bonded, Gretchen and Jake, and Kylie loved to watch them together.
She had only given Gretchen a key to her house a week ago, and the fact that Gretchen wasn’t at all hesitant to use it was still a shock to her. Kylie had her own issues—like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Things were working out so well, so unbelievably well, that part of her was convinced it would all fall apart before long. It wasn’t like either of them had great track records. It seemed far more likely that they’d crash and burn than be together forever.
Erin constantly scolded her for her inability to relax and enjoy the ride. Knowing she had a tendency to overanalyze things, she consciously tried to prevent herself from doing so, but it wasn’t easy.
She tried not to worry, not to dwell, but it scratched at the back of her mind in fairly regular intervals, the doubt, the uncertainty. But isn’t it normal to worry at least a little? Is anybody ever 100 percent certain of their life, of their relationship, and where they’re headed?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a touch on her shoulder that made her jump. She turned her head to find Margo Wheeler pulling her hand away as though she’d been burned. They both laughed.
“Sorry about that, Kylie. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Margo looked sharp in a deep green skirt and jacket and ivory silk shell, her hair pulled back smoothly.
“No problem. That’s what I get for daydreaming.”
“I just wanted to see how things were going with Steve. Two new bosses in the space of three months is a lot for any admin to handle.” Kylie smiled. “It’s great. He’s great. He’s very nice. He’s efficient. The reps seem to really like him.”
“Good. He’s spoken highly of you as well, so it looks like the fit is right.”
Kylie nodded.
“Well, then. Carry on.” Margo took a step away, then turned back, a twinkle in her eye. “Do tell Gretchen I said hello.”
“I will.”
Kylie felt her face heat up as Margo continued down the hall.
Gretchen had told Kylie that she’d been completely honest with Margo when she handed in her resignation, and Kylie was by no means closeted, but it was a little strange to know that Margo Wheeler knew.
Shrugging, she glanced at the clock. It was going on noon and Brandy would be by any minute. Kylie answered a phone call for Steve, then put her phone on voice-mail and opened her Outlook to jot off a quick e-mail before she left. She was just about to start typing when a rap sounded on the frame of her cubicle. Expecting Brandy, she looked up and couldn’t hide the surprise that crossed her face as she saw Mick standing there.
They hadn’t spoken since that disastrous night in Kylie’s living room, and she missed her friend terribly. Kylie had wanted to call dozens of times, had even gone so far as to dial the phone and get Mick’s answering machine on several occasions, but she had no idea what to say. Before she realized it, over a month had gone by and the two of them had been doing a commendable job of avoiding each other at work as well as home. Kylie chided herself for being such a coward.
Dressed in her usual well-pressed khakis and polo shirt, her hair recently trimmed, Mick looked as neat and as put-together as she always did. She also looked a little nervous, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
“Hey,” Kylie said, happiness tinting her voice. She wanted to get up and hug Mick but thought that might be pushing things. Instead, she favored her with a big, genuine grin. “It’s good to see you. How are you?”
“I’m good, Ky.” Mick ventured a small smile. “I’m really good. How are you doing?”
“Great. I’m great.”
Mick gestured over her shoulder at Gretchen’s old office. “The new guy? How’s he? You like him okay?”
Kylie nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, he’s been terrific. Very nice. Very competent.”
“That’s what I hear. People seem to like him.” They both nodded like bobble-head dolls. The conversation stalled, neither knowing how to keep it going. Finally, Mick took a deep breath and looked down at her booted feet.
“Listen, Ky, I’m having a little get-together at my place this weekend. Nothing huge. Just a dozen or so friends, the usual crowd. If you’re not busy, maybe you and, um, Gretchen can stop in, have some wine, eat some food.” She looked down the hall, at the wall, anywhere but at Kylie’s face. “If you’re not busy,” she repeated.
Kylie felt a lump form in her throat and for a moment, she couldn’t speak. She knew Mick well enough to know how hard the invitation was for her to present, and she took it for exactly what it was: an olive branch. It told her that Mick missed their friendship as much as she did.
It certainly didn’t make everything magically all better, but it was a start. Kylie was proud of Mick for taking the first step…something she hadn’t had the courage to do.
Shifting sideways slightly in order to catch Mick’s clouded green eyes, she said, “It sounds like fun. We’d love to come.” Mick’s face lit up into a real smile this time. “Good. Saturday night, anytime after six.” She gave Kylie a small wave and escaped before she could feel any more exposed.
“See you then,” Kylie said to her disappearing friend. She shook her head with a smirk, thinking how strange life was and how things had a funny way of working out when you least expected it. For the third time, her thoughts were interrupted when Brandy appeared at her side, eager to go.
Kylie grinned up at her. “Let me just send off this quick note.” She turned back to the e-mail she’d begun just before Mick arrived. It w
as to Gretchen in her new office. Kylie typed one word.
Black.
Grinning, she hit the Send button.
“You’re awfully smiley lately,” Brandy observed, affectionately bumping her with a shoulder as they walked down the hall.
“Yeah?” Kylie asked, knowing it was true.
“Very. You seem happy.”
“I am.”
Gretchen’s face filled Kylie’s mind, dark hair flying, rich brown eyes twinkling, and Kylie suspected her smiling wasn’t going to end anytime soon.
THE END
About the Author
Georgia Beers was born and raised in Rochester, New York. After high school, she attended college in Pennsylvania at Mansfield University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications. Always believing she wanted to be involved in television or radio somehow, she tried her hand at both after graduation and decided rather quickly—and much to her own horror—that she didn’t like either one.
For as long as she can remember, Georgia has written stories. After discovering the Internet and the surprisingly large world of writing that exists on it, she met a fellow writer in the year 2000 to whom she felt close enough to share her first attempt at a manuscript for a novel. One thing led to another, Georgia was introduced to a publisher, and the next thing she knew, she was an actual honest-to-goodness novelist. To this day, she still has trouble believing it.
It’s now 2006 and Georgia is currently at work on her fourth novel, Fresh Tracks, as well as various short stories and a script for a short film. She still resides in Rochester with her partner of twelve years, Bonnie, and their two dogs.
Her published works include two lesbian romances, Turning the Page, 2001, and Thy Neighbor’s Wife, 2003 (Regal Crest Enterprises), as well as numerous selections in anthologies: Milk of Human Kindness: Lesbian Authors Write about Mothers and Daughters (RCE), Infinite Pleasures (Intaglio), and Stolen Moments: Erotic Interludes 2 (BSB).
Upcoming works include “Diva,” a short story in the erotica anthology Erotic Interludes 4: Extreme Passions, Bold Strokes, 2006, and Fresh Tracks, a romance from Bold Strokes, 2006.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN