Chapter Five
“You what?” Melissa looked like her eyes were going to pop right out of her face. She almost choked on the cupcake she was devouring. “Hold on, I think I need to check if the nuclear fallout just occurred. Oh wait, it didn’t. So why in the world is your brain radiated to the point you’re going out with Chace again?”
“Oh Mel, I know you mean well when you’re so diabolical like that,” Julie said with a sarcastic smile on her face. She took a spoonful of her ice cream and sat down on the couch opposite Melissa. “We got talking during the wedding and things went smooth sailing from there. I said sorry, he said it too, what’s else is there to do after that?”
Melissa snorted and took a bit of her cupcake. “When I dressed you up I was hoping we’d attract new pups to the pound, not bring back the old dog covered in fleas.”
“I am going to be an old spinster with 50 dogs after all,” Julie reminded her. She then placed her now empty cup of ice cream on the center table and took the remote to change the channel. They were watching the local news on the TV.
“Hey, hey, no switching the channel while I’m still debating the veracity of your dire situation,” Melissa tried to swat the remote control out of Julie’s hand but missed it by a mile. “It’s like switching the topic. Well, was he any good?”
Julie’s eyebrows perked up and she stuck her tongue out. “He was his usual self.”
“That’s not juicy,” Melissa faked a yawn. “I mean, come on, it’s been like forever since you last saw him and it was a dramatic exit too. Did the old dog learn any new tricks in the sack?”
“Did Ned? By the way, I thought he was our designated bodyguard during the wedding? That creep Dorian stepped a little too far.”
Melissa guffawed and let it go. “Ned was a little busy being Kevin Costner to my Whitney Houston. It’s no wonder you came in so late last night. Well, if you’re really intent on giving it a second chance with Chace then I guess now’s the right time for it with it being Christmas and all. Speaking of which, are we supposed to buy a Christmas tree or wait until Ned figures out we cleaned out the corner specifically so he’d get the idea of buying one for us?”
“I don’t know, does it look like the Beatles are coming back from the grave?”
Melissa shook her head. “Then cough up a few bucks, let’s go pick one out later.”
“Can’t home bug,” Julie declined but she took out some cash and handed it to Melissa anyway. “I’ve got a second date with you-know-who later. Maybe it’ll lead to a third date.”
“Just remember: men think with their dicks, not with their brains,” Melissa took the money and buried it in her pockets. She devoured what was left of her cupcake. “Where are you guys going anyway? Do you need a chaperon? I can go and hide behind you. I promise you’ll never even notice I’m there.”
Julie swatted at her. “Sprinkle fairy dust elsewhere, Tinker Bell. We’re going to meet up with some high school friends and plan out our Christmas reunion.”
“Last year you went to the reunion and Chace wasn’t a part of it,” Melissa noted. “Was it because you two broke up or just some odd coincidence?”
“He left for that business gig in Guam,” Julie answered. “It didn’t pan out for him but it did work out for me. I got to show everyone in my batch that I’m still as boring as watching paint dry.”
Melissa wagged a finger in contradiction. “You’re a wallflower, not boring. Flowers blossom and smell really good. When I picked you up last time you smelled like apple cider and vodka.”
“Thank you for smelling me,” Julie retorted.
Melissa pursed her lips and continued on. “Ah, ah, ah, I’m not done. You’re a flower, like I said, and you need to give yourself some time to bloom. That also means letting other bees come by and spread their gooey stuff on you, not just Chace’s.”
“Gooey stuff is good,” Julie remarked and she felt the rush in her chest when she recalled the night she had with Chace. “I can’t believe how good it felt.”
“Sex is supposed to feel good, hon, otherwise we wouldn’t do it and that would doom the human race,” Melissa replied. She then took the remote control from Julie and flipped to the shopping channel. To their pleasant surprise, the channel was currently advertising a pair of lingerie.
Julie then pointed to the TV and remarked. “See, Mel? Even the shopping channel is on my side. Sex is good so don’t let me starve. You know you love me so let me fly away and have some fun.”
“Jules, I’m not trying to stop you,” Melissa commented and she looked at her friend with caring eyes. “I’m just softening the blow in case this doesn’t work out.”
“Mel, it’s going to work out. I’m the one that fucked it up last time. I just need to make sure I don’t repeat that process.”
“Jules, just don’t forget to feed him,” Melissa finally relented. “We’re getting out of here around five. How about you?”
Julie shrugged and turned her head back to the TV. “I don’t know, maybe around the same time. We’re going to meet our batch mates at the Flaming Margarita and I don’t know what’s after that.”
Melissa pointed at the TV. “Whatever you do, don’t wear that. It doesn’t have a flap so if you and he-who-must-not-be-named get all kinky again, there won’t have a door for easy access.”
They both laughed and Julie promised not to wear such restrictive lingerie. Maybe something with a removable pair of breast cups would be a better substitute. Maybe she could ask Chace to buy her one for Christmas.