Page 58 of Let's Kiss and Tell

“I see.” Dani taps the side of her drink. “So, what do you do, Lucy?”

“I’m a writer.”

“News?”

“Oh no.” I wrap my arm around Marsh’s shoulder, leaning in closer. “That’s Marsh’s territory—”

“But she has great intuition. She could transition if she wantedto,” Marsh says. My head spins to his. Our faces are a little closer than natural but there’s a genuine look in his eyes.

“Thank you,” I say just loud enough that only he can hear.

“I mean it,” he says softly.

“What do you write about?” Dani’s voice causes me to whip my head back.

“Sex,” I say, and she looks stunned.

“Sex?”

“Mhm. I also cover dating and relationships, but sex is really the gist of it.”

“Well, that’s, uh…interesting. Isn’t it, Marsh?” Dani shifts her focus to him.

“It’s great,” he says. “One of my favorite pieces Lucy’s done is ‘What Is Microcheating? And Are You a Victim?’ ” Marsh says, and Dani’s face becomes hard.

“You read that one?” I ask, knowing very well that it was a story I did almost two years ago.

“Yeah. I think I’ve read everything you’ve written.”

This piece of information sits with me. I haven’t met anyone who’s read everything I’ve ever written. Not even my own parents. I want to ask why, but my thoughts are interrupted yet again by the sound of Dani’s shrill voice.

“So, you write about sex,” she repeats. “How does one get into that?”

“I mean, write about what you know, right?” I laugh and Dani does not find that funny. “You get into it the same way you would get into any profession.”

“I’ve just never met asex writer,” Dani says, and there’s an edge to when she says the wordsex,like she’s maybe extremely religious, which is fine. Or she’s just a straight-up prude. “That must be interesting for your relationship.”

She’s shameless. I’ll give her that.

“Oh, it’s been amazing for our relationship,” I say, hoping Marsh will forgive me for what I’m about to say next. “Marsh is a racehorse, and honestly, I’d never been into anal before him.”

Marsh immediately starts choking on his drink, and Dani’s face turns a shade of red that brings out exactly the areas where she used concealer.

“Well, I think I better head back to my friends,” Dani says, standing up. “Lucy, it was…nice meeting you. And, Marsh”—she looks at him skeptically—“I’ll see you at the wedding?”

“Uh, yeah.” Marsh finds his voice. “We’ll be there.”

“Oh.” Dani cocks her head. “You’re both going?”

“I RSVP’d for two,” he says.

“Right,” she says, almost annoyed. “All right, well…see you then, Lucy.”

“Nice meeting you, Dani.” I stay seated on Marsh’s lap.

We both stay where we are—my arm around his shoulder, his grip on my waist—until Dani disappears into the crowd of people.

“Oh my god.” Marsh lets out a giant exhale and rests his forehead on my arm. “Thank you.”