Wishing on a Dream by Julie Cannon

Author:Julie Cannon [Cannon, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626395909
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2016-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-five

“You didn’t invite her in?” Courtney asked, wiping the beer that had just spewed out of her mouth. It was the next day, and the after-church crowd hadn’t yet swarmed liked bees for lunch at the Burger Barn. I had just told her how I had chickened out from dragging Tobin into my house and ravishing her in my foyer.

“Why not?”

I could barely get the words out. How do you tell your best friend that you’ve been lying to her for years? And why was I telling her now? I hoped she didn’t hate me and jumped right in. “I’ve never done it before.” I wasn’t sure I said it loud enough for her to hear.

“Done what?” Courtney asked.

Damn. Why couldn’t she read my mind? “I haven’t…been with…I never…” I couldn’t get the words out. I watched Courtney’s expression change from confused to understanding to shock.

“You’ve never…?”

“Yes, Courtney. I’ve never,” I finally said. “Don’t make me repeat it.” I was embarrassed enough that I was a thirty-six-year-old virgin without having to repeat it out loud again.

“I’m sorry, Kiersten. It’s just that you caught me off guard. I never expected you to say that.”

I hadn’t planned on it either when Courtney had agreed to meet me tonight. She wanted to know every detail about my date with Tobin at the reunion.

“Wow, K. I don’t know whether I should be in shock, in awe, or pissed off at you for not telling me sooner.”

I wasn’t sure which was winning either. “I’m sorry. I should have said something in the beginning, but you just assumed, and out of embarrassment I played along. Then it just got more and more awkward, and I guess it got to the point that I couldn’t come clean. I was upset that I lied to you, even if it was a lie of omission.”

“So how have you…you’ve never…I mean, you’re gorgeous…and rich and…”

“I used to be fat,” I blurted out. My timing was better this time because Courtney didn’t have a mouth full of Corona. “I used to be fat, really fat,” I said, emphasizing the word. “I was teased in school, called names, picked last for teams, the typical elementary-school behavior. High school was worse. I never had a boyfriend and started liking girls, which compounded everything. No self-esteem, no confidence, zero, zilch, nada,” I added, just in case she didn’t get it the first or second time. “January first of my senior year in college I went on a crash diet, went to the gym every day, and started running. Six months and over a hundred pounds later you saved my life in that shitty bar the first week of grad school.” The entire time I was talking, I kept glancing around the room. Occasionally I was able to look at Courtney and found her watching me with intense concentration.

“The more time that passed, and the older I got, the more embarrassed I was. I’ve had a few fumbles, which usually ended up being humiliating experiences.

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