Well, most of the time.
But she wasn’t like other people. She didn’t obsess about all things carnal. Given, she had a much stronger interest in women than she had in men, and Thomas had been gracious and understanding when she told him they needed to end things, but it wasn’t like her world radically came alive when the lights went off even after that shift. She was a calm, rational person, and that was fine. She’d accepted herself for who she was, someone who preferred an even keel.
“Are you in there right now?” Thomas asked around his beer. “You’re nodding along to your own thoughts again.”
“It’s kinda cute if you hadn’t ignored about five different questions,” Cherry added. “Including your pet panda’s favorite restaurant.”
“I’ll have to score myself one of those,” she said, hopping back into the conversation. “Anyway, I’m really excited about the new store going in. I plan to patronize it weekly and get my sugar rush on.” She grinned and took a long pull from her beer, hanging on to this good news. Needing it. “Maybe we’ll be like, I don’t know, partners in industry. Do some cross-promotion.”
“I can’t believe more people aren’t snatching up your awesome greeting cards,” Cherry said, her big brown eyes soft and pillowy. When Cherry felt for you, she didn’t hold back. “It’s criminal because they are the perfect combination of whimsical and creative. Who doesn’t prefer something unique and handmade?”
“You’d be surprised.” She made a money gesture, rubbing her thumb and fingers together.
“Well, it’s worth it. I’ve always loved your artwork since your doodles in chem class. One of these days, though, they’re gonna take off.”
The dream. Juliette brought her shoulders to her ears. She vacillated between ambition and resignation when it came to her current situation, and which one she landed on just depended on the day. “It’s gonna turn around soon.”
Thomas lifted his glass. “To The Station.”
“Your baby,” Cherry chimed in.
These were her people and she loved them. It was moments like these that she realized her luck. Her wealth lay in her good friends. “You guys are going to make me cry, and I finally figured out how to apply eyeliner properly.” They had become the most unexpected little trio, but she loved their tiny group and would do anything for either of them. She and Thomas had history, sure, but they’d found their way after years of trying. Cherry was literally just that, the wonderful cherry on their friendship sundae. Perfection.
They stayed for the bar’s weekly Tuesday night trivia, which they took a little more seriously than probably called for. Sadly, their team took their customary second place to the table of retired elderly engineers from Morning’s Glow, one of whom happened to be Pete Wunderlich, for whom she’d penned the greeting card that day. She was tempted to throw Hot Timothy in his face for spite, but tempered her hot edge.
“Next time, whippersnappers,” Pete shot and guffawed with his cronies.
Thomas glared, dripping with defeat. “I hate that they always beat us. We were this close.” The prize was a free round for the team, but that was just bonus. This was about more than a prize.
Cherry shrugged. “What are we gonna do? They’ve been alive longer. They always best us at the history questions. Makes sense. They lived it. Pop culture is our one angle over them. Our shot.”
“Study up, you guys,” Thomas said, pointing back and forth between the two of them. “See you next Tuesday.”
“Wait. Won’t you be at bowling tomorrow?” Juliette asked. They were all part of the same small cosmic league, which was really just a chance to get together on Wednesdays and eat nachos and talk smack about everything that happened on Tuesday to some disco music and flashing lights. Rolling the ball down the lane was just a perk.
“Can’t. This is kinda news. Are you ready?” He left a dramatic pause. “I have a date.” Juliette had no interest in rekindling her romance with Thomas, because it simply hadn’t worked, so why was it a slight punch in the gut that he was going out with someone new? Underneath, she knew. It was because her own dating life was at a standstill. No one special had come along, but then she hadn’t done much to help the process. She was the tiniest bit jealous of him and his prospects. She also knew damn well it was unattractive and something to work on within herself.
“Who is it?” Cherry demanded, channeling Juliette’s low-key annoyance. She was being stood up, too.
“You don’t know her. The receptionist at the car place. I met her when I was having my brakes replaced. She makes the best cappuccinos.”
“I know that receptionist,” Cherry commented with a narrowing of her gaze. “Big boobs. Are you into big boobs, Thomas?”
“I hadn’t noticed.” He took a pull of his beer and studied the end of the football game on the bar’s screen, but it was a blowout and shouldn’t have been at all interesting. A ploy.
“Well, enjoy your boobs,” Juliette said, striving for good ex-wife sportsmanship. “We’ll call Nathan to fill in at the lanes.” Nathan had an obsession with choosing the right bowling ball and often smelled strongly of extra-minty mouthwash. She’d get over it. She’d do it for Thomas.
“I don’t know that I’m up for Nathan,” Cherry said. “The air-kisses. The ridiculous dance when he picks up the seven pin on spare. We can all pick up the seven, Nathan. Relax.”
“We’ll get through this together. We always do.” They exchanged a fist bump, hip bump, shimmy.
“Better run,” Thomas said, tossing a few bills to Felix, who was on the bar that night.
“Bye,” Cherry and Juliette said in unison.
“Big boobs, huh?” Juliette asked once they were alone.
“And tight green sweaters. I’ve seen firsthand.” Cherry shook her head. “Men. Can’t live with ’em.”
“Which is why I don’t.”
“Respect headed your way. Maybe you’ve got it figured out, Jules.” Cherry kissed her cheek with a smack, and they gathered their bags.
It had been a fantastic night in spite of the gut-wrenching trivia loss, and Juliette planned to go home to her cat, make sure Skittles received her late-night snack on time so she didn’t attack all the house plants in anger. Then, she’d gear up for another day. It was her goal to be in bed each night by 11:00 and up at 6:24 after two taps of the snooze button. It was eight steps to the bathroom to brush her teeth, and her day would be off and running! Regimented? Sure, but her order and predictability were what kept her afloat. She dined on structure, and it loved her back like a codependent girlfriend. She knew most everything that would happen tomorrow down to Nathan-the-lane-dancer subbing for Thomas and preferred it that way. Did she secretly long for a little shake-up? No. Not really.