LoveLife by Rachel Spangler

Author:Rachel Spangler [Spangler, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781602826953
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2012-02-20T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

December 22

Joey handed an eggnog to a brunette in a Buff State hoodie. “Happy holidays.”

The girl smiled a little too brightly at Joey for her to write it off as holiday cheer. “Thanks. I’m glad finals are over, you know?”

“I bet. Now you can enjoy your holiday.” And Joey could enjoy some peace and quiet. Most of the students had gone home, and the neighborhood was calmer without them, leaving her time to relax under the Christmas lights and garland she’d strung around the shop.

“Yeah, I’m headed back to Rochester to see the ’rents. I’ve put it off long enough. They know the semester ended four days ago. If I don’t show up soon, they’ll send a search party.”

Joey tried to offer a sympathetic expression. “Bummer.”

The girl laughed as she lingered. She had a silver stud in her nose and wore a ring on nearly every finger. “Do you go to Buff State?”

“I will next semester,” Joey said confidently. She’d enjoyed her week of trying on her decision as Elaine suggested. She’d even picked up a course catalog to look at classes. Every time she started to wonder if she was doing the right thing, she simply shut her worry down, emotionally putting her concerns into a box to deal with next week.

“Cool. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“Probably, but only if you survive Christmas with the ’rents.”

“No joke.”

“Good luck.” This conversation had dragged on about two minutes longer than she would’ve liked.

“Thanks.” The girl finally turned to leave, and Joey noticed Lisa smirking over the screen of her laptop.

“What?”

“What was the problem with that one?”

She shrugged. “Nothing. She was lovely.”

“Lovely? Geez, are you eighty-five? That was a real-life lesbian begging you to ask her out.”

“She was not,” Joey said, but even she couldn’t deny the signs. “Okay, maybe she was, and I was very polite.”

“Yes, and you even used her to try out your new student lines, but on fourth and inches, you punted.”

“I didn’t punt. She just, I don’t know…”

“She wasn’t your type.”

“You say that like having some standards is a bad thing. We all have types of women we go for more than others.”

“Yes,” Lisa said. “I go for women over eighteen who have a pulse.”

“Then you should’ve asked her out.”

“She wasn’t flirting with me. No one ever flirts with me when you’re around.” Lisa pouted. “Next time you’re going to punt, you could at least aim in my direction.”

“How?”

Lisa came behind the counter and pretended to type on the register. “Here’s your change. Thanks for flirting with me today, but I’m already hung up on Dr. Hot-Body. However, my smashingly beautiful best friend is single and sitting right behind that computer making boatloads of money.”

“Fine, you go back and make your boatloads of money, and I’ll practice my lines.”

“Thanks.” Lisa kissed her on the cheek and bounced back toward her computer.

“By the way, her name is Elaine,” Joey called after her.

Lisa rolled her eyes and flopped down as the front door opened.

“Elaine,” Joey said.

“Fine, I get it,” Lisa said without looking up.

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