be a model and was worried I’d gain weight.”
“I was never allowed to eat junk food because my parents knew all of the side effects from processed food.”
“I was never allowed to wear shorts or pants as a child, only dresses that I couldn’t get dirty.”
“My parents gave me long, complicated, after-the-fact explanations of the consequences of my actions, instead of saying, ‘Don’t put that fork in the light socket.’”
Selena shook her head, surprised. “When I found out about my powers, my parents started sending out applications for me to join teams, and they said I’d join whichever was the most prestigious.”
“My parents sent me to live with aliens who experimented on my brain.”
Selena stared at me, openmouthed. “I can’t top that. Seriously, that’s what happened?”
I shrugged. “They didn’t know exactly what was going to happen.”
“But still.”
I nodded. “But still.”
She nudged me. “This kind of shared pain deserves a mocha.”
I smiled and agreed, “A venti, at least.”
“And extra whipped cream.”
“With chocolate shavings and a drizzle on top.”
“Girl, you read my mind!” she said, giving a look around. “Think Luke will notice if we skip the rest of the run?”
“He said if we get separated to meet him back at home. We’ll meet him there. In the café.”
“I like the sound of that,” Selena laughed, and we turned around, chatting all the way home.
I couldn’t hate Selena anymore. She was a decent person. Drat.
Back at the EHJ building, we skipped the line in front of the barista—owning the place has its perks—and, after collecting our coffees to the accompaniment of clicking camera phones taking pictures I so didn’t want to see on Page Twelve, we found a seat in the small café. A television was tuned to one of the all-day news channels, and a few corporate types were sitting nearby, probably waiting to check the stock report.
After taking a sip of my mocha, I steeled myself to do what I knew I had to do. To be a grown-up.
“Selena,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I think you should ask Luke out. If you haven’t already.”
She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “You do?”
I nodded. “He hasn’t dated in I don’t know how long, and he needs to again, to get out there and stop being all about his job.”
“But, what about you?” she asked, toying with her coffee. “I mean, I know you like him…”
“He’s my friend. I want him to be happy.” I realized that was true. “And you seem like a nice person, and you two seem to have a connection. So, why not?”
“I don’t know, Mindy.”
“You’re the type of person he should be dating; not a model or a starlet.” Nor me, I silently added. “You’re the type of woman he should be with.”
Selena took a sip of her coffee. “If you’re sure…?”
I wasn’t, but I knew I had to be. “I am.”
She looked over at me, smiling. “Then, I will. I’m not going to lie; he just about took my breath away when I met him at Lainey’s reception the other night. And I thought there might be some chemistry there…”
“Great,” I said, my voice a bit weak. I guess they hadn’t actually hooked up. But I supposed it was only a matter of time.
As I glanced out the window, I saw Luke approaching the building. “Speak of the devil.”
He pushed open the door and looked around, saw us. Moving with purpose, his long, heavily muscled body glistening with sweat, he approached. Selena and I stared, trying not to drool.
“What happened to you guys?” he asked.
“We met you back here, just like you said,” I replied.
“Yeah, but I was ahead of you. There’s no way you made it all the way around and back before me!”
“Maybe it’s our new powers,” I teased.
“Maybe you two chickened out,” Luke argued, crossing his arms and giving us a hard look.
I maintained innocence. “No way!”
“We cut down some side streets,” Selena said. She stood and
“I was never allowed to eat junk food because my parents knew all of the side effects from processed food.”
“I was never allowed to wear shorts or pants as a child, only dresses that I couldn’t get dirty.”
“My parents gave me long, complicated, after-the-fact explanations of the consequences of my actions, instead of saying, ‘Don’t put that fork in the light socket.’”
Selena shook her head, surprised. “When I found out about my powers, my parents started sending out applications for me to join teams, and they said I’d join whichever was the most prestigious.”
“My parents sent me to live with aliens who experimented on my brain.”
Selena stared at me, openmouthed. “I can’t top that. Seriously, that’s what happened?”
I shrugged. “They didn’t know exactly what was going to happen.”
“But still.”
I nodded. “But still.”
She nudged me. “This kind of shared pain deserves a mocha.”
I smiled and agreed, “A venti, at least.”
“And extra whipped cream.”
“With chocolate shavings and a drizzle on top.”
“Girl, you read my mind!” she said, giving a look around. “Think Luke will notice if we skip the rest of the run?”
“He said if we get separated to meet him back at home. We’ll meet him there. In the café.”
“I like the sound of that,” Selena laughed, and we turned around, chatting all the way home.
I couldn’t hate Selena anymore. She was a decent person. Drat.
Back at the EHJ building, we skipped the line in front of the barista—owning the place has its perks—and, after collecting our coffees to the accompaniment of clicking camera phones taking pictures I so didn’t want to see on Page Twelve, we found a seat in the small café. A television was tuned to one of the all-day news channels, and a few corporate types were sitting nearby, probably waiting to check the stock report.
After taking a sip of my mocha, I steeled myself to do what I knew I had to do. To be a grown-up.
“Selena,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I think you should ask Luke out. If you haven’t already.”
She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “You do?”
I nodded. “He hasn’t dated in I don’t know how long, and he needs to again, to get out there and stop being all about his job.”
“But, what about you?” she asked, toying with her coffee. “I mean, I know you like him…”
“He’s my friend. I want him to be happy.” I realized that was true. “And you seem like a nice person, and you two seem to have a connection. So, why not?”
“I don’t know, Mindy.”
“You’re the type of person he should be dating; not a model or a starlet.” Nor me, I silently added. “You’re the type of woman he should be with.”
Selena took a sip of her coffee. “If you’re sure…?”
I wasn’t, but I knew I had to be. “I am.”
She looked over at me, smiling. “Then, I will. I’m not going to lie; he just about took my breath away when I met him at Lainey’s reception the other night. And I thought there might be some chemistry there…”
“Great,” I said, my voice a bit weak. I guess they hadn’t actually hooked up. But I supposed it was only a matter of time.
As I glanced out the window, I saw Luke approaching the building. “Speak of the devil.”
He pushed open the door and looked around, saw us. Moving with purpose, his long, heavily muscled body glistening with sweat, he approached. Selena and I stared, trying not to drool.
“What happened to you guys?” he asked.
“We met you back here, just like you said,” I replied.
“Yeah, but I was ahead of you. There’s no way you made it all the way around and back before me!”
“Maybe it’s our new powers,” I teased.
“Maybe you two chickened out,” Luke argued, crossing his arms and giving us a hard look.
I maintained innocence. “No way!”
“We cut down some side streets,” Selena said. She stood and
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