Page 59 of Meant for You

The strains of “Pony” started pumping through Cal and Cassy’s surround sound system and we all cheered.

“Channing Tatum is so hot,” Lila said, shoving her glasses higher up her nose. She reached over me to grab some chips for herself from the bowl Cassy was clutching like a newborn baby.

“I actually like him better in the sequel,” Trix said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d do either option, but I like my men a little older.” Her gaze slid to me. “The dude is ripped, though. Has abs that I could spend days licking. Dane’s into the gym. How many days have you spent worshiping that fine body, Eves?

“Um…” I felt myself blush.

Quinn’s gray eyes came to me as well, her lips curving up. “So it’s official? You’re an item now?”

Cassy smiled full wattage. “They most definitely are,” she said to Quinn.

“I overheard him asking Bull for dating advice.” Quinn snorted. “Bull is the love of my life, but the man isn’t exactly a dating guru.”

“Your help was most appreciated,” I said to her and chuckled.

“So it went well, huh?” Quinn’s smile widened. “I’ve been dying to ask.”

“It’s new,” I said, deciding to get involved in the conversation before all my secrets were revealed right in front of me. “We’re new, you know, which means we’re taking things slow. Working out what this relationship looks like for us.” I felt good about my answer because it was the truth without going into too much detail. I was kind of too scared to talk about it, like I’d jinx it.

Trix nodded. “Yeah, slow sounds great, but on a scale of yawn to the earth’s core down your pants, how are things in the bedroom?”

“Trixie!” Cassy said, throwing a cushion at her. “That’s none of our business.” She turned to me. “Right?”

The hopeful note to her voice could not be mistaken.

“We’re taking things slooow,” I said again.

“So you haven’t boned yet?” Trix said and took a sip of her wine.

Lila started giggling beside me, and I spun on her and narrowed my eyes. “Hey, traitor, I’m not the only one with secrets. I wouldn’t forget that if I were you.”

She flushed but her smile stayed front and center. “I said nothing,” she protested.

Quinn rolled her eyes at Trix. “Boned? Really? You sound like a teenage boy.” She looked at me. “So you haven’t humped, boinked, yanno, banged yet?”

Everyone dissolved into fits of laughter.

When I finally pulled myself together, I shook my head. “This is Quinn’s night. She’s the one getting married this weekend. Let’s talk about her and Bull. We should be grilling her, not me.”

“They’ve heard it all before,” Quinn said.

“Yep,” Trix added. “We already know what Quinn and Bull get up to on their ‘fishing trips,’” she said, making air quotes with her fingers.

Cassy reached over and squeezed my hand. “We’re just teasing. You don’t need to share if you’re not comfortable doing it.”

Maybe it was the wine and the fact I was on my fourth glass, or maybe it was that these women were fun and awesome and, since I moved there, had become my family, but I wanted to share with them. “The earth’s core,” I said, smirking, and took another sip of my wine.

They all hooted.

“Details!” Trix yelled.

“I mean, we haven’t, you know, slept together yet. Well, we’ve slept together but haven’t…boinked,” I said and rolled my eyes. “Taking it slow is hard, but it’s right for us, you know, after what happened, our history.” I bit my lip. “If this doesn’t work out between us”—I shook my head—“I’m scared it could ruin everything.”

“I get that,” Quinn said. “When Bull and I started seeing each other, I had similar worries. We’d become closer after I moved back. I’d known him for so long the idea of losing him was terrifying, but I wanted him too much to miss my shot with him.”

“And you’re already in it,” Trix said. “I say go all in. Yes, sex can complicate things—believe me, I know—but life is too short to worry about what-ifs.” Her gaze grew intense. “That’s how I live my life. I do what feels good, what feels right, and I refuse to apologize for that. I don’t believe in regrets because they’re useless and change nothing.” She shrugged. “Don’t hold anything back, Eves, because there’s not always a tomorrow.”

I stared over at my friend, at the pain in her eyes, pain she’d shared with me, and knew she was right.