Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown

Author:Jaye Robin Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-05-27T04:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY WE can’t all ride together?” Gemma is hands-on-hips mad and Mary Carlson is doing a terrible job of explaining why it’s necessary to take two cars to the school’s performance of Steel Magnolias where Betsy’s playing Annelle.

Because there is no good explanation.

Mary Carlson wants to be able to hold my hand on the ride over and find some place to snog between here and there. Chances will be slim once we crash the cast party and pile in for another spend-the-night at her house. And who am I to argue. Except Gemma’s mind is sharp and she’s ticking through possibilities and if we keep up our cloak-and-dagger disappearing acts she’s going to put it all together until the word lesbians is lit in Hollywood light bulbs.

“Mary Carlson,” I say. “We can all ride together.”

“Thank you,” Gemma exclaims. “Someone is finally making some sense around here.”

“Come on, I don’t want to miss curtain call.” Jessica climbs into the back behind the driver’s seat. Gemma and I reach the passenger door at the same time. She glares at me, sort of a girl, I been here long before you arrived look, and I acquiesce. I slide into the back behind her.

Mary Carlson catches my eye in her rearview mirror and my stomach jumps. She’s not what I expected. Not that I expected to get involved with her, but when I maybe daydreamed just a little about it, I imagined this sweet girl who was shy and uncertain and wanted to be wrapped gently into her closet whenever we were in public. But Mary Carlson is not that. She’s into this. Big time. And I can tell, even after just two weeks, she’s antsy to let the world know about her moment of self-discovery. And right now she’s stealing my breath with the way she’s looking at me. I look down. Gemma and Jessica will figure things out pronto if they see those bedroom eyes.

George is working the door at the auditorium. Because he and I still have our own weird charade going, I sidle around the table and give him a lukewarm hug.

“Awww.” Jessica beams. “Y’all are the cutest.”

He puts his arm around my waist and I put mine over his shoulder and Mary Carlson looks like she wants to spit nails. “So you’ll be at the cast party?” He looks at me first, then at Gemma.

Gemma answers, “We will. Not going to miss an opportunity to celebrate our girl Betsy in her big theatrical debut.”

It was a surprise to everyone when Betsy auditioned and got a major part.

“Is Marcus coming?” I ask.

This prompts Gemma’s hands across Gemma’s chest and a “hmmmph.” “He was my last pretty jock. Didn’t care about nothing but football plays of the week and texting with his boys. That lasted all of three weekends. I need a smart man.”

George takes his arm off my waist.

Right. I step away from him as well.

“Joanna, come with me to the bathroom.” Mary Carlson pulls my hand. “Y’all go get us seats.

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