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I, on the other hand, was in a prolonged drought. I hadn’t slept with a man in three years. Nathaniel would often ask me if I was the one that was gay. I would laugh, but it was true, I might as well be because, besides Nathaniel, I had spent very little time with men recently.
In high school, I started dating Ricky Ingram from the third week of my freshman year. We dated until the day after prom when Ricky told me that it was over now that we were attending separate colleges. I thought we were going to spend the summer together. He broke my heart, and I’ve been hesitant to get involved ever since.
I dated one other man, Leo, for a few weeks. We had sex, and it was over. Of course, in my foolishness, I thought it was true love when, in reality, he was just trying to get in my pants. The minute I let him, he was gone. So now I just casually date, but it rarely goes beyond the first.
I get a free meal or a movie, a little groping or kissing and it’s over. I’m not a prude by any means, I want to have sex, but it has to be right. I won’t make the same mistake again as I did with Leo. Nathaniel has become very protective of me. He likes to intimidate men that I bring around. That might be another reason why I don’t get second dates.
“Hey, Emma, check your phone.”
I pull it out of my purse and see from the text Nathaniel sent telling me we have a seat in the VIP section. I wonder if any of my friends would like to go. Hunter and Rory might be interested, but I doubt my sister, Megan, or her fiancé, Chase, would go. They’ve become shut-ins since they got engaged, and I hate to think about what they do all night. However, I would give anything to have a love like theirs or like my other sister Lexi and her husband, JC.
“Is it just us?”
“I guess unless you have someone you want to bring.”
“What about Matty? Is he available?”
Matty was a friend of my sister Lexi. He was handsome and a few years older than us, but he was fun and like Nathaniel, protective of me. He saw me as his little sister. I had no romantic interest in him even though Angelica did. She told me I was surrounded by beautiful men. I guess it was true since JC, Lexi’s husband, his brother Hunter, Nathaniel, and Matty were gorgeous.
“Matty is in Atlantic City this weekend.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Hunter mentioned it last week. So we’re on our own tonight. We’ll be safe.”
“I’m not worried about that. I just like a big group to go with.”
“What about your brothers?”
Angelica had two brothers, Cruz and Ricardo, who were both in their twenties. They were handsome but resided in New Jersey, where their parents lived. Angelica would come across the river each day to go to work at Scarborough. I lived in Manhattan, which is why I needed a roommate. My salary would not support an apartment on its own.
“They’re leaving for vacation today, so they’re out.”
“It’s barely June. Where are they going?”
“Peru to visit my Abuela. I wish I could go because I miss her.”
“How much vacation time do you have left?”
“Two weeks, but I want to go to the Jersey shore in August. I already put in for it. You should come.”
“I haven’t been there in years. My parents used to take us when we were kids.”
Our conversation is interrupted by Nicky.
“Ladies, don’t you have some work to do? Emma, I’d like to see you in my office.”
I exchanged glances with Angelica and rose from my seat to follow Nicky to his office. I wonder what he has to bitch about now. He’s been on my ass the past few weeks. He holds the door for me than practically slams it before he sits at his desk.
“I’m highly annoyed with your behavior at the meeting this morning.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Don’t you? I saw your coworker whispering in your ear. And then while I was trying to speak, I heard your phone buzzing. It’s a policy that you keep it on silent during office hours. If you can’t follow the rules, I’ll ask that you leave it at home, or I’ll take it until the end of the day.”
“Nicky, I’m not a child. I accidentally left it on vibrate, and we weren’t talking about anything that concerns you.”
“You’ve had lapses of judgment over the past few weeks. You made quite a few editing mistakes with several manuscripts. These were rookie errors that even a new editor would catch. Is something going on at home? Trouble with a boyfriend, perhaps?”
