The Final Rose by Eliza Lentzski

Author:Eliza Lentzski [Lentzski, Eliza]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Lesbian
Goodreads: 30836561
Published: 2016-07-01T22:00:00+00:00

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The first one-on-one date card of the week went to a woman named Jennifer. She was an attractive natural redhead, but beyond the color of her hair, I didn’t know much about her. She was part of the third clique of women who were more reserved and kept to themselves.

The card arrived while Candace, Lee, Patience, Heidi, Samantha, and myself were on our date. After leaving our finished bowls and other misshapen vessels at the pottery studio to be glazed and fired, we were treated to dinner and were returned home with little fanfare. No rose had been given out that night.

When we returned to the house, the other women were more interested in the content of the new date card than anything that had happened on the group date. Come sail away with me, the card read.

Irene launched her fist in the air. “First sailboat date of the season, ladies! Everyone needs to take a shot.”

A chorus of woo’s and celebratory cheers erupted from the group. Brittany, Irene, and Heidi began digging through the kitchen cabinets to scrounge up enough glasses for everyone. They lined the thirteen mismatching glasses on the counter, and Heidi poured a generous amount of an amber liquid into each cup. Most of the women crowded around the kitchen island to claim a drink, but I hung back, hugging myself in discomfort. One of those thirteen glasses was intended for me.

“Does everyone have one?” Brittany asked, holding up the lone, unclaimed glass.

“Nokomis needs one!” Patience loudly proclaimed.

I felt all eyes turn to me. The odd girl out, again.

Brittany offered the clear glass to me. At the bottom was probably a double shot of whiskey. “Nokomis?

I waved a dismissive hand. “I’m good, thanks.”

She continued to hold the glass in front of me. “Are you sure?”

“No chickening out. Everyone’s got to do one.” Patience pounded noisily on the counter top. “Bottom’s up!”

Some of the other women joined Patience in slamming their fists against the kitchen island, and a terrifying chant began: Drink it! Drink it! Drink it!

I stared at the proffered glass. I was frozen with indecision, torn between wanting to down the shot to silence the chanting or simply running out of the room.

Before I could make a decision, a hand snatched the cup out of the air. Lee quickly tossed back the contents of two glasses. She grimaced and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Good,” she choked in a tight, constricted voice. “More for me.”

The revelry died down, and the group’s attention transferred away from me and back to Jennifer as the others contemplated her upcoming date.

Lee continued to make faces, wincing and sticking out her tongue. “God, that’s disgusting. Why couldn’t it have been something that actually tastes good?”

She left my side to join the others before I could gather my thoughts for a proper thank you. I didn’t have time to contemplate the moment long before Candace was sidling up to me.

“And here I thought Lee was the one who needed saving,” she coyly remarked.

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