Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Yeah, that’s pretty ballsy,” she admitted.
“And it pisses me off that those two fell in love so fast and so easily when it’s so hard for the rest of us, you know? Well, for me, anyway.”
“And for me,” added Maren. She’d recently broken up with someone she’d met at the studio because he smoked too much pot and didn’t seem to have any ambition whatsoever.
Stella actually had a sort-of boyfriend, this psychologist she’d met at a workshop last year. He was nice enough, and attractive in a distinguished professor with glasses and elbow patches sort of way, but he never stopped talking about his fucking bees. He kept them in his yard and he was obsessed. Maren and I did not understand how Stella took it. His name was Walter, but we called him—wait for it—Buzz, and we were always making little buzzing noises or bee jokes. Kind of mean, but what are sisters for?
“Hang in there, both of you. You did the right thing to break up with that guy,” she said to Maren. “And you deserve a lot better than Richard, Emme. He was a classic narcissist.”
“Thanks. How’s Buzz?” I hid my smile behind my coffee cup and felt Maren kick me beneath the table.
“He’s fine, but do you have to call him that? There’s a lot more to him than his beekeeping.”
“You should tell him that.”
She sat up taller. “It’s very good for the environment, you know.”
“I do know. Because he’s told me multiple times.”
“Bzzz,” agreed Maren.
“Be nice,” said Stella. “He’s a good guy, smart and successful, and he treats me well. At this point in my life, I’ll take it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Stella, you’re thirty-two, not eighty.”
“Still.”
I could tell she was getting testy. “Okay, okay. Sorry. Did either of you guys go out last night?”
“Not me,” said Maren.
“Walter and I went to dinner and saw a film down at the DIA, then came back to my house.”
“Did he finally sting you?” I couldn’t resist, even though I knew the answer. Stella and Buzz did not have sex. This made my sister and her relationship even more baffling to Maren and me. If you were going to date a boring guy, wouldn’t you at least want him to have a big dick or something?
She sighed and set down her cup, staring into it. “No, he didn’t. I told you, it’s not like that with us.”
“I still don’t get that,” said Maren before I could. “What’s the point of having a boyfriend if you don’t have sex? Are you even attracted to him?”
“Yes, but our attraction is based more on mutual respect and admiration than on physical chemistry. We have a lot in common and enjoy spending time together. That’s enough for me right now. Not every relationship needs sex to feel complete.”
“Okay, as long as you are happy, we’re happy for you.” I wanted to cut her off before she went into therapist speak and started to lecture us about equating sex with love and intimacy. Well, mostly me. I wasn’t sure what Maren’s problem with guys was. She didn’t seem to date assholes, but she never picked winners either. Stella was convinced she was still hung up on her high school ex, and sometimes I thought she might be right, although Maren always denied it.
“Thank you,” said Stella. “What about you? How was your weekend?”
“Fine. Friday night, I hung out with Nate, and last night I had a wedding. Then I hung out with Nate again afterward.”
“Nate the guy across the hall?” Stella’s tone was surprised. “I thought you were just friends.”
“We are just friends. I didn’t stay the night or anything. I only went to help him out.”
“With what?” Maren asked.
I paused to take a sip of coffee and consider how much I should tell them. I didn’t want to betray Nate’s confidence, but he wasn’t going to be able to keep his daughter a secret forever, and I knew I could trust my sisters. We had our differences, but our bond was solid. “Okay, you can’t say a word about this to anyone yet, but he found out he has a baby daughter.”
Maren gasped. “When?”
“Late Friday night when I was there, the mother left her outside Nate’s door with a letter saying she was his.” I summarized the contents of the letter and described Nate’s reaction.
“He fainted?” Stella asked.
I nodded. “Went down like a giant elm. Although he denies it.”
“Of course he does.”
At that point our meals arrived, and I waited until the server had left to go on, telling them about the first night I’d spent in his apartment.
“You slept over? Did anything happen?”
I picked up the little pitcher of maple syrup and soaked my stack of pancakes. “No. He only asked me to stay to help with her. Honestly, he is clueless when it comes to babies.”