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It all happened so fast. She turned on the stool, her back towards the bar, with Lauren’s hand still on her thigh. In front of her stood Erin. A fitted navy dress hugged every slight curve of her body. Sun-drenched skin peeked through a slit that traveled up her thigh, drawing Julia’s eyes immediately. Her hair was pulled away from her face, eyes twinkling widely in the lighting. It took that long to understand that Erin was staring at a stranger’s hand placed on Julia’s body.
“Erin?” Julia questioned her presence, standing from her stool. The movement forced Lauren’s hand to drop, but neither of them noticed. “What are you doing here?”
“A few of us decided to go to the theater and then came here to wind down,” she explained, pointing towards a few faculty members at a table on the far end of the restaurant. Julia was suddenly flustered, completely embarrassed, even though she knew she shouldn’t be.
“This is Lauren, a colleague of Ben’s,” she hurriedly explained. “Lauren, this is Erin. She’s the lead evaluator for the McSellen Corporation. She’s been working at Kleinton with us the last couple of months.”
Erin’s eyes lowered, disappointment noticeable even in that lack of lighting.
“Nice to meet you.” Lauren shook her hand.
There was an incredibly awkward silence–no one daring to fill it–everyone confused over the tension. Erin just looked at Julia, eyes boring holes into her head and out the other side.
“Well, we should get back to Keegan and Ben,” she suggested, purposefully dropping names, so Erin knew this wasn’t a date date.
“Me too,” she agreed, but then stumbled with her words, “I mean, to everyone else.”
“I’ll see you at work?” Julia asked, stepping aside with their drinks. Erin nodded and then approached the bar, her back to them both.
They walked back to their table, setting the drinks down as they sat. Ben and Keegan were laughing over an unheard conversation, obviously not upset for the alone time.
“We thought you two got lost along the way,” Ben teased. He picked up his Scotch, the ice cubes ringing off the glass as he swirled it in front of his nose.
“Nothing’s ever fast enough for you, is it?” Julia joked.
“You could have gotten it yourself if you wanted it any quicker.” Keegan’s eyebrows raised but her mouth cracked into a smile.
Lauren gave a little chuckle. “I love being surrounded by so many women who put you into your place, Ben.”
“I’m sure this is amusing,” he mused sarcastically.
They sat and drank until decadent food was placed before them. They laughed over work, over kids, over how life constantly threw curve balls at every opportunity. They discussed their company’s merger and the current contract they were working on.
Lauren asked Julia about her role within the school, and they related over the years they climbed invisible ladders–the battles they fought and won along the way to be standing on top of the mountain.
But yet? But yet. But yet. But yet. But yet. But yet. Erin.
Julia couldn’t focus on anything because every time she looked up, every time she lost focus in the distance, she found Erin’s glistening eyes catching hers. They were always on her, always pointing downward in such a way that she looked small. She’s never been small. Her jaw was visibly tense, noticeable even that far away.
“I’m really happy you agreed to come out tonight.” Lauren leaned towards her, her breath warm on Julia’s collarbone.
Keegan and Ben disappeared towards the bar, taking full advantage of their night without the kids.
“Me too,” Julia admitted honestly.
She needed the reprieve, needed the time out of the house. But sitting there with her when Erin was there too? It was indescribably painful–the feeling of creepy, crawly bugs covering your body to the point of manic discontentment.
As she looked up and caught Erin’s attention again, she realized that she didn’t want to be there with Lauren. She didn’t want to be there with anyone other than Erin.
Lauren leaned against the table, her face tilted towards her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Julia caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She watched Erin stand abruptly, a few teachers stopping her to ask something that didn’t carry through the air. She kept walking towards the exit, leaving her jacket and bag in the seat she stood from.
“I’m sorry.” Julia began to stand, her eyes glued to the swinging door Erin just disappeared behind. “I’ll be right back.”
She didn’t wait for a response as she rushed after her–didn’t look back to gauge Lauren’s reaction. She stepped out onto the sidewalk. The night air slapped her in the face, momentarily taking her breath away as it conflicted with the heat rising from her body.
She looked to her right. Nothing but concrete walkways lined her path. She turned her head to the left and saw a little navy dress walking away from her at a pace that should only be possible for someone with longer legs.
“Erin!” she called, but she didn’t look back. She jogged down the sidewalk, not easy in her heels, to catch up to her. “Erin!”
