SemperFi.PDF by Ing

Author:Ing [Ing]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-02-13T06:52:21+00:00

CHAPTER 3

A week later

Connie drummed her fingers on the plastic tabletop in the diner’s booth. She looked at her watch. Amanda was late. She and Mandy had fought in the past, but nothing like this. Not where they hadn’t spoken for several days. It had taken many calls, and three apologies left on voice mail, before her friend had called her about discussing things in person.

Connie realized she’d been wrong to avoid talking about their sex scene in the SUV. She didn’t want to lose a friend over it, but she also didn’t want an ongoing relationship with Mandy that was more than platonic.

She found a hangnail to nibble. She’d only been waiting ten minutes, but each moment weighed on her like an iron anvil. Would Amanda actually agree to meet her, and then be a no-show?

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SEMPER FI

No, that wasn’t her way. She kept her word. Connie had always been able to count on her friend to do so, no matter what. And they’d always been honest with each other. She had to remember that. Amanda strode in, paused briefly to locate Connie, and then made her way to the booth, waving away the hostess. She slid in, her expression shuttered.

Connie swallowed. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Amanda tossed her hair. “Sorry to be late. Traffic.”

She didn’t believe for a moment that traffic had been the reason Mandy was late, but she said only, “It’s all right.”

“So. You wanted to talk?” Her friend’s glance roved around the diner, anywhere but at Connie’s face.

“Want something to eat or drink?” the waitress said as she approached, menu in hand.

“Coffee’s fine,” Amanda said. The waitress walked away. Connie was glad she’d picked a slow time. The diner was almost deserted except for the two of them, a solitary man poring over a map at the counter, and an elderly couple enjoying pie in the booth closest to the door. Connie had chosen the booth farthest from both the door and the counter.

“Well?” Mandy’s tone said, Get on with it. Connie noticed the thunderclouds lurking in her friend’s blue eyes. She needed to be careful with her word choices.

“Again, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I avoided you rather than talking about the day in the SUV, and I’m sorry I forgot to listen to your voice mail. It wasn’t meant as a slight, believe me. Sometimes people forget things despite their best intentions.”

Mandy motioned with her hand as if to say, “Go on.”

The waitress brought them coffee. Both of them sipped from their chunky white mugs silently. Connie waited until the waitress had walked away before speaking.

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SEMPER FI

“I love you like a sister, Mandy. And that’s the problem. I love you like a sister. Not a lover. While I’ve truly enjoyed our threesomes, as well as what you did in the SUV, I think that has to be part of my past now.”

Her friend said nothing, her head bent forward. Connie leaned across the table, her voice carrying an undertone of urgency.

“Please understand. I still want to do all the girly things we do together—shop, have lunch, enjoy a long talk while drinking beer.

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