Three Little Words

“We kissed,” Charlie grumbled. “Fine. Hers was better.”

Isabel laughed along with everyone else. She’d missed much of the festival. Saturdays were busy at the bridal shop. She’d managed to spend a little time there on Sunday but had also wanted to catch up on the store’s books.

Noelle looked at her. “You okay? You’re quiet.”

“I’m thinking,” she admitted. Mostly about Ford. The man made her insane with his suggestions. But even more annoying, now she felt guilty for telling him no.

She realized everyone was looking at her.

“About what?” Felicia asked, then bit her lower lip. “Am I not supposed to inquire? Is this one of those times when as a woman I should wait for my friend to offer the information or a time when I’m supposed to prod her into telling?”

“Wait,” Charlie said.

“Prod her,” Noelle, Consuelo and Patience said at the same time.

Felicia nodded at Charlie. “You’re outvoted.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t make me wrong.”

Isabel was both amused and frustrated by her friends. “Does anyone want to ask me my opinion?”

“Apparently not,” Felicia told her. “So what’s the problem? Your reluctance indicates it must be about a man. The only other topics about which people are reticent are money-related topics. Sometimes politics, but we don’t usually discuss...” She sighed. “Sorry. Sometimes my analytical brain gets ahead of me.”

Noelle was sitting next to her and hugged her. “I love you so much.”

“Thank you. Your support is gratifying.”

Patience looked at Isabel. “Don’t think any of this has distracted me. What’s up?”

“It’s nothing,” Isabel said. “Really, it’s silly.” She paused, knowing there was no way she was getting out of it. Not unless she could think of a really good lie.

“Ford wants me to be his pretend girlfriend to get his mother off his back. I told him no and now I feel guilty.”

Five pairs of eyes widened.

“I didn’t know you were seeing Ford,” Patience said.

“I’m not. We’ve talked.”

“She came to CDS,” Consuelo offered with a grin.

“Thanks for the support,” Isabel told her. “I wanted to clear the air. He’s in the apartment above the garage. I didn’t want him to think I was stalking him or anything. So we talked and it was nice. We’re friends now.”

“Have you had sex?” Charlie asked flatly.

Isabel was glad she hadn’t just taken another bite of her salad. “What? No. Of course not. We’re not dating.”

“Technically, dating isn’t required for sex,” Felicia said. “With Gideon, I...” She pressed her lips together. “Never mind.”

Patience grinned. “That’s right. You were wild with him. I was so impressed.” She turned to Isabel. “No wildness from you?”

“We’re just friends.” The brief kiss had been nice, but even though there were tingles, she wasn’t all that interested in sex. The act never lived up to the hype, and she wasn’t in the mood to be disappointed yet another time by a man.

“Didn’t you used to be in love with him?” Consuelo asked. “When you were younger?”

“I was fourteen, so no, it wasn’t love.”

“You could use him as your interim relationship,” Felicia said. “There’s extensive research on the value of having an interim relationship. It helps break the emotional bond with a long-term partner. In your case, your ex-husband.”

“She’s helpful.” Charlie picked up her burger. “I like that about her.”

“In addition,” Felicia added, “from all accounts, Ford has a reputation for being an excellent sexual partner. Over the years, several women who slept with him have expressed their approval.” She paused. “Not that I have personal experience.”

Isabel felt her mouth hanging open. Even Charlie looked a little shocked.

“It’s true,” Consuelo said with a grin. “All the ladies say he’s hot.”

“Did you...” Noelle began, then flicked her wrist. “You know.”

Consuelo shook her head. “Not my type. We worked together. I’m not interested in him that way.”

“There you go,” Patience said with a triumphant smile. “A plan and your friends’ approval.”

“I’m not sleeping with Ford!” Isabel announced, her voice a little louder than she’d planned. Patrons at other tables turned to look.

She lowered her voice. “I’m not. That’s not what this is about. He asked me to help him.”

“Be careful,” Consuelo told her. “He’s charming and sexy. Not to me, of course. I find him annoying and emotional. But other women are all over him. He tells them he doesn’t do relationships and they never believe him. They always think they’ll be the one to change him. And then he breaks their hearts.”

“I’m not interested in forever,” Isabel said firmly. “I’m leaving Fool’s Gold next year and moving back to New York.”

“So you’re fine,” Patience said with a grin. “But seriously, the fake-girlfriend thing? You need to tell him you want perks. Sexual perks.”

Charlie raised her eyebrows. “When did you get slutty?”

“Since I started sleeping with Justice.” Patience laughed. “I can’t help it. I’m so happy and he’s so amazing in bed. I want everyone to have what I have. Just not with him.”

Noelle sighed. “I want that, too. I’m ready for hot monkey sex, even if it doesn’t involve a relationship. If you don’t want Ford, tell him I’m happy to be his pretend girlfriend as long as there are perks.”

Everyone laughed. Conversation turned to sexual etiquette and then somehow moved on to Felicia’s trials of potty training the new puppy in her house. Apparently dog behavior wasn’t as predictable as the how-to books promised.

Isabel listened but didn’t participate. She felt uncomfortable—as if there was something wrong with her.

Did everyone like sex but her? Was there a secret she didn’t know? Had she been doing it wrong all this time?

With Eric, a lack of passion was understandable, but what about before? Billy had been her first time, and the back of a truck wasn’t exactly romantic, so maybe it wasn’t a surprise she hadn’t had much fun with him. There had been only a couple of guys in between, mostly because she hadn’t seen the point. The kissing was nice and the touching, but when things progressed beyond that, she lost interest.

When lunch was over, she still didn’t have an answer to what about her was different. A problem for another time, she told herself.