Page 39 of Cooped Up for Christmas

“He-he-he kissed another girl.” She gazed at the non-fire in the fireplace. “Another girl. Can you believe that? I’ve never kissed another boy. How could he do this to me?” She turned to me. “Why would he kiss another girl? When you’re seeing someone, do you kiss other boys, um, men?” Considering I’d done a damn sight more with Cooper last night, I didn’t answer her question. “Some people do. But if you’ve agreed to be monogamous, you shouldn’t stray, don’t you think?”

“Monogamous?”

“Yeah. Like, faithful.”

“That’s like marriage.”

Or not. “It means you’ve made a commitment to each other. You don’t need the paper.”

“But why would he kiss Keiko? Do you think he doesn’t love me anymore?”

“Honey, I’m sure he loves you.” Yeah. Hospitality 101. Everything is AWESOME.

“Does he?” She put out a lip.

“Do you see the way he looks at you?”

“He looks at me?”

“Like a puppy and you’re the treat.”

Her eyes shone. “Really?”

I shrugged. “Just what I see.”

“What else do you see?”

“Well, usually when a boy kisses other girls, it’s because he’s exploring—”

“Exploring? With Keiko?” A squawk.

“Or he’s unsure about what he has.”

She perked up a little. “Or maybe he was just trying to make me jealous.”

Well, that worked too.

“So, it was with one of your friends?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Yeah. I’d look at that too. Friends don’t kiss their friend’s boyfriend.”

“Maybe I need new friends.”

“You need friends who love and support you—not because you’re Farley, but because you’re you.”

Her brow wrinkled. “But I am Farley.”

“Farley the person. Not the superstar. Having an entourage is not the same as having a tribe. A tribe takes care of you because they love you. An entourage follows you because you’re famous.” I saw when the realization of what I was trying to convey hit her. She nodded and nibbled her lip.

“But what do I do about Jamison?”

I shrugged. “Be up front with him. Tell him how you feel. Let him know you love him.” Egads. I was starting to channel my great-aunt Gladys. “Maybe pull him aside tonight and go somewhere quiet and talk to him. Just talk. Ask him what he really wants. And if it’s Keiko, there’s nothing you can really say or do to stop it. And, if he really loves her more, and would be happy with her…would you stop it? If you really love him, you want him to be happy.”

“And he should want me to be happy.” She crossed her arms and put out a lip, making me think of her as she was. Young and afraid.

“Yes. Yes, he should. And if you ever fall in love with a man who doesn’t want you to be happy…run.”