Popcorn Love (40 page)

“Oh my God!” Vivian exclaimed. “Elena!”

“Feel free to stop shrieking in my ear any time,
Viv.”

“I will not sto—
What
?” Midway through Vivian’s
response, Elena heard another voice echo from the other end of the
line. She couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like Vivian’s assistant,
which meant that Vivian had gone in to work today as well. It
didn’t surprise Elena. She and Vivian both were workaholics, though
Elena herself had slowed way, way down in the last two years in
order to spend as much time with Lucas as possible. “Jeanine, I
don’t give a damn about that right now, because my best friend just
got laid for the first time in four years, okay?
Four
years,
and
it was with a woman. Okay? Do you see the importance of
this conversation now? The new spread can wait.”

Elena’s entire body felt like it caught fire in that
moment as she fumed. “Vivian Warren! Shut your mouth this
instant!”

“What? It’s true, and besides, I didn’t say your
name, so relax.”

Elena rolled her eyes as she pressed her fingertips
to her temples. “Everyone in your office knows exactly who your
best friend is, you idiot,” she said.

“Oh.” Vivian laughed. “That’s true. Sorry, but hey,
don’t be embarrassed. It’s something to celebrate not something to
be embarrassed about.”

“Thank you for that encouraging pep talk, dear.”

“You are quite welcome. So, spill. I need details,
and when I say I need details, I mean details along the lines of
trashy-romance-novel details. Catch my drift?”

“Go buy a book then, Viv, because you won’t get any
details out of me, and you know it.”

Vivian sighed heavily into the phone. “I’m demoting
you. You no longer hold the position of best friend, because best
friends share everything with each other. I even tell people that
Lucas is my son sometimes.”

“Oh, you do not,” Elena said. “And I can’t be
demoted. It’s in the contract.”

“We wrote that stupid best-friend contract when we
were seven, Elena.”

“Yes, and it still stands,” Elena told her. “It
clearly states that none but me can hold the position of best
friend in your life and none but you can hold it in mine.”

“It also says that you will always share your gummy
bears with me, and I will always share my Milk Duds with you,”
Vivian countered.

“Yes, well, have I ever broken that sacred covenant?
I do believe I have always shared my gummy bears with you.”

“True, even though you hardly ever eat candy
anymore.” Vivian sighed again. “I love gummy bears.”

Elena chuckled as she leaned back in her office chair
and twirled a pen between her fingers. “I know you do.”

“So, you’re not going to tell me anything?” Vivian
asked. “Not even a little bit? Are you at least going to tell me if
it was good?”

“Very well, but this is all you get,” Elena said.

“Spit it out already!”

“It was amazing.”

Vivian giggled like a little girl. “I want to squeal
again.”

“Please don’t.”

“So how amazing are we talking here, Elena?”

“Nice try, Viv.”

Vivian huffed out a breath. “What kind of best friend
calls just to say that sex has occurred but then refuses to share
any details of the occurrence?”

“The evil kind.” Elena let out a low, playful laugh
to suit the statement. “Besides, I am still in the office.”

“Oh, so you can have sex in the office, but you can’t
talk about sex in the office? I call bullshit, but I will let it
slide for now. You do realize, though, that you will likely end up
telling me more at some point, right?”

“Most likely,” Elena admitted, knowing the chances
were pretty high. They had never been good at keeping things from
one another, and Elena would likely feel the need to gush to
someone at some point, given how incredible the sex with Allison
had actually been.

They stayed on the phone with one another for a long
time, even after they both fell silent. It was something they had
done many times in their lives. After a long silence, Vivian
quietly asked, “You really like her, don’t you?”

Elena sighed. “I really do, Vivian,” she whispered.
“I really, really do.”

* * *

Hey gorgeous! You up for an adventure tonight, or do
you have to pick the little man up?

Elena’s body erupted in tingles as she read Allison’s
text. It amazed her how easily all things Allison Sawyer seemed to
do that to her. She contemplated her mysterious offer as she stared
at her phone, her thumbs stilled over her keypad. She had already
informed her parents and Lucas that it was likely he might have to
spend the night there, thus it would be easy for Elena to simply
use that to her advantage and take Allison up on her offer.

What sort of adventure?

You’ll see.
The next text sent an address and
told Elena to meet her there at nine that night. Elena laughed
softly when she read the end of the message.
Oh, and wear jeans,
Elena, because damn. Just damn.

Elena didn’t have a clue what adventure the other
woman had in mind, but she found she hardly cared. She just wanted
to be there, wherever Allison was.

* * *

The night air was warm and wonderfully breezy as
Elena stepped out of the cab and onto the curb. The address Allison
had given her was that of a small bar; it was small, but from the
looks of it, lively. A large poster plastered across the window
right next to the door read
OPEN MIC-NIGHT!
Intrigued, Elena
made her way inside, her black pumps tapping as she walked.

Patrons packed the place, filling tables in front of
a large stage at the far end of the building as well as standing
around the bar waiting for drinks. She took a moment to glance
around for a flash of wild golden hair, but it was useless. There
was no way Elena would find Allison in this crowd, so she made her
way to the bar instead.

Weaving through the bodies, Elena felt several people
brush against her, and some in ways that obviously could not be
deemed as accidents. As always, she shuddered at the contact and
did her best to weave through the crowd a little faster. When she
found a thankfully empty stool at the bar, she plopped down and
waited for the bartender to take notice of her. Familiar with the
routine of being a well-dressed woman sitting alone at a bar, she
counted in her head, avoiding the urge to roll her eyes:

And in 3, 2, 1…

“Hey there, pretty lady.”

Elena didn’t even bother making eye contact with the
man who approached her nearly as soon as she sat down. Anyone who
started with “pretty lady” was doomed from the beginning. She
avoided his gaze, straightened her back, and said, “No, thank
you.”

“Oh come on. Don’t be like that.”

Elena did make eye contact with him then. “Don’t be
like what?” she asked. “I said ‘No, thank you’. Would you prefer I
rudely
turn you down?”

“You’re a sassy one.” He let out a nervous laugh and
pulled a bit at the collar of his wrinkled navy button-up
shirt.

“No. Currently, I’m being quite polite. You, on the
other hand, are not.”

He ran a hand over his buzzed dirty-blonde hair and
offered up what Elena assumed he considered to be a charming smile.
It came off as more predatory than anything. “Don’t like
compliments?”

“I don’t care for men who don’t understand the
meaning of the word ‘no’.”

His eyes hardened as he simply stared at her for a
moment.

She thought he might actually try another pass at her
before he finally just sneered “whatever” and walked off.

The bartender showed up a moment later. “What can I
get ya, ma’am?”

“Absolut neat.” She was going to need something with
a little kick to start her off, especially if it was going to take
a while to find her date. As she waited for her drink, she pulled
her phone from her clutch and typed out a text to Allison, letting
her know where she was.

“Well, well.” Another voice spoke from behind her,
and Elena closed her eyes and sighed at the deep register.
“Beautiful woman alone at the bar?”

The man stepped around her and into view. “That’s a
crime.”

Elena arched a brow as her gaze scanned down his
body. He was a younger guy, barely out of high school from the look
of him, and Elena was appalled to see that he was actually
attempting to rock the circa-early-2000s frat-boy look of khaki
cargo shorts, a bright pink polo with a popped collar, and a white
ball cap only partially on his head. Her lip curled as she shook
her head. “So is your attire, dear.”

The guy had a typical “psh” reaction before muttering
that she was a bitch and stalking off.

The bartender arrived with her drink, and Elena took
a sip, reveling in the slight burn as the vodka slithered down her
throat.

It wasn’t long before she was approached again. This
man, at least, was dressed well. He wore a lovely dark gray
button-up and black slacks. His face was nicely groomed, and the
soft blue of his eyes paired beautifully with his dark hair.
“Hello.” He greeted her with an incline of his head.

Elena narrowed her eyes and did her best to appear
confused as she stared at the man’s lips.

“Something in my teeth?” he asked.

She did her best to appear even more confused at
that, and then she let out a sigh and shook her head. She offered
him a strained smile and said, “Lo siento. No hablo inglés.”

The guy stared at her for a moment, as if
contemplating whether or not to believe her, but then he just
nodded, mumbled a “sorry” and wandered off.

Elena had a few moments of merciful peace before she
noticed a woman with auburn hair and strikingly bright eyes making
her way toward her. She wondered for a moment if she truly was the
intended target of the other woman, but given the way those bright
eyes were pinned on her, Elena would bet almost anything that she
was. While Elena wished that she could avoid come-ons entirely, she
did prefer those made by women. She had encountered a few women who
had seemed to take on that whole
playa
persona, but for the
most part, Elena had much more respectful encounters with women
than she did with men. They typically accepted a “No, thank you”
with much more grace and ease than the men did.

A moment later, those striking eyes were right in
front of her, taking in every detail. “Evening,” the woman said,
her smile bordering on a smirk. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Elena was surprised by the thick Australian accent
but found it lovely. She smiled at the woman and shook her head.
“No, thank you.”

The other woman nodded. “Fair enough,” she said.
“Already have a date?”

“Yes, actually,” Elena told her. “I am meeting my…my
girlfriend.” It felt so strange to say that. She had only said it
once before, at the zoo, and it had felt weird then. But just as it
had that day, saying the word had also sent a jolt of excitement
rippling through Elena’s gut.

“Yeah?” the Aussie asked. “Sounds nice. What’s she
look like? Maybe I can spot her for you?”

Elena smiled. “Blonde, bright green eyes, a stunning
smile, and undoubtedly wearing some kind of tank top or
three-quarter-sleeve button-up.” She paused for a long moment as
she looked out into the crowd before sighing and adding,
“Beautiful.”

The other woman smiled. “Excellent description,
Elena, and given that lovey-dovey look you had in your eyes while
you said it, I’d say Alli’s done quite well for herself.”

Elena startled, eyes wide and confused. She blinked
rapidly, her mouth opening and closing, but then the other woman
just laughed and stuck her hand out.

“Macy Davis.” Her eyes scanned over Elena’s figure.
“It’s nice to finally meet the woman who’s turned my best mate into
a puddle of goo.”

Clearing her throat, Elena smiled and reached out to
shake Macy’s hand. “Macy,” she said. “It’s wonderful to finally
meet you. Allison speaks quite highly of you.”

“You too. Really,
really
highly, if you know
what I mean.”

Elena’s cheeks flushed heavily as she cleared her
throat again and nodded.

“I’m not so good with censorship.” Macy laughed at
herself.

“I thought you were hitting on me when you first
walked up,” Elena said, and Macy nodded, grinning.

“I was.” She leaned her elbows on the bar and settled
in beside Elena. “But only as a test.”

“A test?”

“Yeah. To make sure you were loyal. It’s my duty as
her best mate.”

“I see,” Elena said. “I’m glad she has someone
looking out for her in such a manner.”

“Always have, love,” Macy told her. “Always
will.”

Elena could hear the sincerity in Macy’s voice and
the fierce protection of Allison that shone in her eyes and posture
as she spoke of her. It was heartwarming, and reminded Elena
greatly of her own best friend.

“Speaking of Allison,” Elena said. “Have you seen
her? I sent her a text, but she never responded.”

“Sure she did,” Macy said. “That’s why I’m here.”

“Oh, I see. So, is this the part where you tell me
that if I break her heart, you will break my face or something
along those lines?”

“Something like that.”

“I thought as much.” Elena took a sip of her drink.
“Well, dear, you needn’t worry.”

“I know.” Macy shrugged.

“You do?”

“Oh please. I only just met you, I know, but you two
are so bloody in love with each other, it’s borderline
disgusting.”

Elena’s heart shot into her throat as those words
sank into her. She couldn’t think of anything to say in response,
because her brain felt like it was on fire as she closed her eyes
and pondered her feelings for Allison. Was it love? It definitely
could
be.