better—”
“Oh, no,” cut in Arden smoothly, hustling Fairy Princess toward the dressing room. “A longer hem will only get in the way. Tea-length is perfect for your dimensions.”
Mollified, the bride headed back to change out of the gown and into her street clothes. Arden waited until the girl disappeared through the hanging curtain and then made a face at Lida, who gave one of her distinctive laughs.
“Is it time for lunch yet?” Lida jerked her thumb toward the door.
“Yes, thankfully.” Arden glanced over her shoulder. “As soon as she leaves, I’ll be ready to go.”
In fifteen minutes she’d hung up the “Back in an hour” sign and was headed down the street with Lida toward a local coffee shop that sold delicious wraps and salads. They both ordered specialty coffee drinks and took their spot by the window to stare out at the pattern of traffic.
“Tonight’s the night,” Lida said as she bit into a homemade frosted sugar cookie. “Are you ready?”
“No.” Arden rested her chin on her hand. “Why do I feel like I’m interviewing this guy for a position instead of going on a date?”
“The missionary position?” Lida laughed at her joke. “Relax. You’ll like Philip.”
“I’m sure he’s very nice.” Arden looked up as the girl brought their sandwiches.
When she’d gone, Lida chuckled. “And he’s hot.”
“You didn’t tell him he was to lay me, did you?” Arden asked without much hope, pretty sure that was exactly what Lida had said.
“I told him you weren’t interested in a relationship, that you’d lost your husband, and you were easing back into things.”
“And that I needed to get laid.”
“I might’ve mentioned that.”
Arden groaned, heat burning her cheeks. She’d made the decision to go ahead and explore the idea of going to bed with someone, but she’d foolishly assumed she’d somehow find him herself. Reality hit her after the disaster dates. Hiring a babysitter to watch the girls while she cruised bars in search of a one-night stand didn’t appeal to her, and besides that, if she was actually going to get naked with someone, it was important the effort be worth her time. Like Lida had said at Ladies’ Night three months ago, she needed recommendations.
“I feel like I’m being auctioned off to the highest bidder,” she grumbled, stuffing her mouth with sandwich.
Lida shrugged. “Philip is a good guy, I promise. He knows the score. He’s going to show you a good time, and if you’re willing, he’s willing to show you an even better time.”
Arden chewed, swallowed, fixed her friend with a suspicious glance. “And how did you get him to agree to this?”
“Showed him your picture. Arden, whether you believe it or not, it’s not going to be hard for you to get a man to go to bed with you.”
“If Philip’s so nice and so great in the sack, why is he still single?”
Lida laughed. “Fear of commitment.”
“Ah.” One word, full of meaning.
“C’mon, Arden. He’ll be perfect for you. He’s not interested in being your boyfriend. He’s very cute. Nice job. Nice car. Good sense of humor. Give him a try for one night, okay?”
Arden sighed, nodded, and dug into her lunch. She couldn’t pretend she wasn’t interested. The dreams she’d been having lately had convinced her she needed to do something to appease her reawakening sex drive, which was rapidly becoming distracting. She wasn’t ready for love, or even a boyfriend. Maybe this setup with Philip could be a good thing.
Lida pushed a small gift bag across the table toward Arden. “And here. From me and Heather.”
“I’m afraid to look.” She expected something funny, like thong underwear. Instead, the bag bulged with dozens of small foil squares. “Condoms?”
Lida raised a brow. “Do you have any?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, now you do.”
Arden sifted through the condom cascade, careful not to let any of them fall out of the bag. “Warming
“Oh, no,” cut in Arden smoothly, hustling Fairy Princess toward the dressing room. “A longer hem will only get in the way. Tea-length is perfect for your dimensions.”
Mollified, the bride headed back to change out of the gown and into her street clothes. Arden waited until the girl disappeared through the hanging curtain and then made a face at Lida, who gave one of her distinctive laughs.
“Is it time for lunch yet?” Lida jerked her thumb toward the door.
“Yes, thankfully.” Arden glanced over her shoulder. “As soon as she leaves, I’ll be ready to go.”
In fifteen minutes she’d hung up the “Back in an hour” sign and was headed down the street with Lida toward a local coffee shop that sold delicious wraps and salads. They both ordered specialty coffee drinks and took their spot by the window to stare out at the pattern of traffic.
“Tonight’s the night,” Lida said as she bit into a homemade frosted sugar cookie. “Are you ready?”
“No.” Arden rested her chin on her hand. “Why do I feel like I’m interviewing this guy for a position instead of going on a date?”
“The missionary position?” Lida laughed at her joke. “Relax. You’ll like Philip.”
“I’m sure he’s very nice.” Arden looked up as the girl brought their sandwiches.
When she’d gone, Lida chuckled. “And he’s hot.”
“You didn’t tell him he was to lay me, did you?” Arden asked without much hope, pretty sure that was exactly what Lida had said.
“I told him you weren’t interested in a relationship, that you’d lost your husband, and you were easing back into things.”
“And that I needed to get laid.”
“I might’ve mentioned that.”
Arden groaned, heat burning her cheeks. She’d made the decision to go ahead and explore the idea of going to bed with someone, but she’d foolishly assumed she’d somehow find him herself. Reality hit her after the disaster dates. Hiring a babysitter to watch the girls while she cruised bars in search of a one-night stand didn’t appeal to her, and besides that, if she was actually going to get naked with someone, it was important the effort be worth her time. Like Lida had said at Ladies’ Night three months ago, she needed recommendations.
“I feel like I’m being auctioned off to the highest bidder,” she grumbled, stuffing her mouth with sandwich.
Lida shrugged. “Philip is a good guy, I promise. He knows the score. He’s going to show you a good time, and if you’re willing, he’s willing to show you an even better time.”
Arden chewed, swallowed, fixed her friend with a suspicious glance. “And how did you get him to agree to this?”
“Showed him your picture. Arden, whether you believe it or not, it’s not going to be hard for you to get a man to go to bed with you.”
“If Philip’s so nice and so great in the sack, why is he still single?”
Lida laughed. “Fear of commitment.”
“Ah.” One word, full of meaning.
“C’mon, Arden. He’ll be perfect for you. He’s not interested in being your boyfriend. He’s very cute. Nice job. Nice car. Good sense of humor. Give him a try for one night, okay?”
Arden sighed, nodded, and dug into her lunch. She couldn’t pretend she wasn’t interested. The dreams she’d been having lately had convinced her she needed to do something to appease her reawakening sex drive, which was rapidly becoming distracting. She wasn’t ready for love, or even a boyfriend. Maybe this setup with Philip could be a good thing.
Lida pushed a small gift bag across the table toward Arden. “And here. From me and Heather.”
“I’m afraid to look.” She expected something funny, like thong underwear. Instead, the bag bulged with dozens of small foil squares. “Condoms?”
Lida raised a brow. “Do you have any?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, now you do.”
Arden sifted through the condom cascade, careful not to let any of them fall out of the bag. “Warming
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