The Love Sucks Club by Beth Burnett

even dates men, but I just love the idea of
Rick being related to me.
    Sam interrupts my internal fawning with an elbow in the ribs.
“Remember that woman who was hitting on me?”
    “Which one?”
    “The singer from the east side
of the island.”
    “The big one from Sparky’s?” I’m trying to remember who
she’s talking about.
    “Yes.”
    “I remember.” I don’t have a great picture of who she’s talking
about, but I’m pretty sure I remember the woman. Sam and I ventured to the
other side of the island one night and ended up in the island’s one gay bar.
The band was all female and pretty good. Sam kind of flirted a bit with the
singer until we realized that her wife was in the audience. After that, she
backed off. We stayed for the next set and took off. Pretty unremarkable night,
if you ask me.
    “She’s here,” Sam says.
    “Yeah? Is her wife here, too?”
    “I don’t know. But she was at the Sands the other night. I stopped
in at the bar to have a couple of beers after work and I swear , she was coming on to me again.”
    “I don’t know.” I’m dubious. Sam is pretty slow about women. “She
was probably just being friendly.”
    “She kept rubbing on me.”
    “You are pretty touchable,” I grin.
    “ Shhh . Here she comes.”
    We both half-turn as the singer walks up. She’s taller than Sam
and solidly built. Wearing dark jeans and a tight black
muscle shirt that shows off not only her breasts, but her muscles as well. I can’t tell if she’s butch or just a muscular femme, but either way, she’s
hot. She puts her arm around Sam. “Hi. Remember me?”
    “Of course,” Sam says. “And this is my friend, Dana.”
    “I’m Nan,” she says, putting her other arm around me. “It’s nice
to meet you.”
    “And you.”
    She squeezes us both and continues on, in the direction of the
bathroom.
    “See?” Sam says after she passes.
    “See what? You’re totally imagining things. Did you see how she
put her arm around me?”
    “Yeah, and?”
    “She’s obviously just a touchy-feely kind of person.”
    “We better go over and sit with your sister for a while.”
    “I guess.”
    We gather a couple of beverages and head toward the table. As
we’re standing there arranging our drinks and chairs, the singer comes out of
the bathroom and walks past us to get to her table. As she walks behind Sam,
she reaches her arm over Sam’s shoulder and puts her hand directly onto Sam’s
crotch. Sam makes a kind of blerting noise and the
singer laughs. Giving Sam one squeeze, she removes her arm and walks on. We’re
all quiet for a moment, and then Sam glares at me.
    “She’s just a touchy-feely kind of person, huh Dana?”
    “Sam. Sammie-Sam Sam. You’re being paranoid.”
    She laughs and we turn back to the table.
    Esmé is wearing a pale yellow
sundress that shows off her slim shoulders and her hazel eyes. Sitting down
next to her, I offer a quick hello and turn my attention to the dark beach. The
view of the stars from my deck is better. I should have stayed home. Esmé leans in close and puts her mouth next to my ear.
    “I had a dream about you last night,” she whispers.
    Most women would find this a turn-on. Instead, I’m filled with
trepidation. “And?”
    “You were standing on a cliff, looking down. I was behind you. I
kept trying to call your name, but I couldn’t open my mouth. When I finally got
my mouth open, you were stepping off the cliff. I raced toward you, but the
harder I ran, the further away the cliff got. You fell in slow motion.”
    I’m silent, letting her words absorb.
    She pokes me in the ribs. “You’re not planning on jumping off any
cliffs, are you?” She tries to sound as if she is joking, but I can just
discern the concern under the humor. Olivia obviously missed it, because she
laughs.
    “If you are planning on jumping off a cliff, take Sam with you.”
    “God, you’re hilarious, Olivia,” Sam grimaces.
    “I don’t think that’s an appropriate