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Bea crossed her arms. “Screw that. Go to dinner with Jake. Talk it out.”
Shira nodded. “At least then you’ll be able to get on the same page, you know?” Leaning into me, she dropped her voice to whisper soft. “What’s the bright side of this?”
“Of Jake?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
This had been Frank and Shira’s thing when he was alive. No matter how shitty their day or the situation they were in, they’d ask each other what the bright side was. When he died, Bea and I had continued it with her. Through her darkest, most miserable days, we’d ask her to tell us the bright side, and she always managed to find it. A couple months after she lost Frank, she took the reins again, and I had never been happier to let them go. Even Bea, our little angsty, grumpy friend, didn’t mind finding the bright side for Shira.
“The bright side is…” I rubbed my lips together, flashing back to him kissing me, taking care of my new body, making me feel like something more than a mother like I was sexy and worth noticing. “Being with him brought part of me back to life.”
Shira sighed. Shockingly, Bea did too.
“And you’re going to give that up?” Bea asked incredulously. “Tell the truth, is Jake secretly ugly and you’re too ashamed to take the chance of being seen with him in town?”
I sputtered a laugh. “God no. If anything, he should be ashamed to be seen with me. He’s so far out of my league and definitely younger.”
Shira gasped. “You didn’t mention he was younger. How much?”
“I don’t know. We never talked about things like that; it’s just a sense I have.” Bea flicked her long nails. “Younger, older—who cares? What I care about is you claiming he’s out of your league. Unless you’re talking pro sports, no one is out of your league, Clara. You’re rich, incredibly successful, and, last but not least, astoundingly hot.”
While she was singing my praises, I Googled Jake Hayes and clicked on a picture, promptly shoving it in her face.
“Care to eat your words?” I quipped.
Bea studied him carefully, a little line forming between her perfectly arched brows. “He’s handsome in a flashy, obvious way, I’ll give you that. But not hotter than you. Have you seen your ass lately? And your angel face? You have fewer wrinkles than I do.”
“Blood of virgins,” I said as I showed the picture to Shira. “And my ass has dimples in it.”
Shira whistled softly. “He’s hot, yes, but he’s obviously seen your ass dimples and liked them.”
“Who doesn’t like dimples?” Bea added. “We’re allowed to have them on our face cheeks but not our ass cheeks? I do not agree. Ass dimples are just as cute.”
Laughing, I covered my face with my hands. “I can’t stand you, Beatrice.”
“Yes, you can. You’d be insufferably boring without me in your life,” she replied smugly.
“True.” I peeked from between my fingers. “Let’s be done talking about me for today. I’d rather find out what’s going on with you.”
“Bea caused a car to run into a light pole yesterday,” Shira reported.
Bea shrugged. “I can’t help if someone chooses to watch me walk down the sidewalk instead of paying attention to the road.”
This was one of the many, many reasons my pedicures with my girls were nonnegotiable. Bea made me laugh, and Shira focused on the bright side. I never failed to leave my appointments with pretty toes and a refreshed outlook.
That must have been why, as soon as I was back in my car, I opened my text thread with Jake and typed out what I did. If this blew up in my face, Bea and Shira were definitely getting the blame.
Me: If the offer still stands, I’ll have dinner with you.
It took less than a minute for him to reply.
Jake: The offer stands. Didn’t think I’d hear from you. I’m free the rest of the week. You?
Me: I can make arrangements. Friday? Somewhere relatively private.
Jake: Come to my place. I’ll grill. Private as it gets.
Me: I don’t know if your place is a great idea. We’re only talking.
