Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond

Author:Susie Dumond [Dumond, Susie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2022-05-03T00:00:00+00:00

15

By the time her cab arrived, Amy had to admit that Corinne’s family had grown on her, even if she was still a tad bitter about cleaning up by herself. The Fariner passive-aggressive streak didn’t seem to have done her many favors. It was something to consider, but on the ride home, all she could think about was crawling into bed and resting her aching muscles. After paying the driver, she dug around in her purse for her keys to the building, fantasizing about how good it was going to feel to kick off her heels and trade her dress for pajamas. But then she heard a voice calling her name. A very familiar voice.

“Amy!” She turned to see Charley walking toward her on the sidewalk in the glow of the streetlights. “You’re…very dressed up for bartending.”

Amy looked down at her wrinkled bridesmaid dress and ran a hand self-consciously along her now frizzy and disheveled updo. “Long story. What are you doing here? It’s almost three in the morning.” Despite her overwhelming exhaustion, Amy couldn’t deny that seeing Charley gave her a thrill.

But she was also surprised and more than a little confused. It had been over a week since they’d last seen each other, they’d hardly spoken while Charley was away beyond sharing a few texts of food pictures on Thanksgiving, and then Charley had stood her up at Ruby Red’s. Amy hadn’t forgotten her friends’ pitying looks once they’d realized Charley wasn’t going to show. And Charley had never responded to her text two days before asking if she was okay. The lack of communication had Amy ready to give up on the whole thing. But as Charley reached her, pressing her hand lightly against Amy’s lower back as she leaned in to kiss Amy on the cheek, Amy suddenly wanted to forget all that other stuff, at least for one night.

Charley pulled back. “Can I come in?”

Amy’s body screamed yes, but she forced herself to hesitate. “Now?” she said. It came out more coldly than she’d expected. “Of all the times to talk?”

Charley scratched the back of her head, a look of embarrassment crossing her face. “I’m, uh, sorry I never responded to your text. And that I didn’t show up Wednesday night. I want to explain.”

A dozen instincts waged a quick battle in Amy’s head. Part of her, still angry about being stood up, wanted to tell Charley to leave. Another, more familiar voice in her head told her to brush her feelings under the rug, pretend she was easygoing and hardly even noticed Charley’s absence, and be the fun, chill girl she so desperately wanted to be. And part of her just wanted to sleep. But with Corinne’s family still fresh in her mind, the way they wore their hearts on their sleeves and seemed to be closer for it, she decided to take a page out of their book. Amy put her keys in the door. “Fine. Come on in. But no judging me for putting on pajamas.

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