Chapter 18

But she missed going out and having fun. She missed intimacy, and the excitement of meeting new people, and falling for someone all over again. She missed being infatuated, and learning the ins and outs about a new woman in her life, what to touch and where to kiss and how good it felt to hold another against her body.

At quarter after six on Friday evening, Joanne was only now sliding behind the wheel of her car. She’d told Edie they’d meet at the brewery before the show, which started in less than fifteen minutes. But Joanne was on the north side of the city, and even if by some miraculous act of God the interstate was clear of traffic at rush hour, there was no way she’d make it downtown in time.

First date with a new woman I think I might really like and I’m going to be late, she thought, grimacing as she started her car. Story of my life.

Miranda would’ve laughed in that “serves you right” way she had near the end of their relationship, the bitter, ironic smirk on her face Joanne still saw sometimes in her dreams. Nightmares, whatever they were when her exes made an appearance while she was asleep. Serves you right, thinking you might be happy,the Miranda in Joanne’s head told her over the rumbling roar of the idling car engine. At least this Edie will learn upfront what to expect and can go running now before she gets too far invested into anything with you. Why am I not surprised you haven’t learned from your mistakes?

“Shut up,” Joanne muttered as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse.

Though really, Miranda had a point—better Edie discover now that time had little real meaning for Joanne; it might save them both a lot of heartache later on down the line.

That wasn’t right, exactly. Joanne’s days started out in a timely manner. She got up at the same time every day, made it into her real estate office by eight (more or less), and always arrived at a meeting with potential buyers before the clients even showed up. But somewhere after six in the morning, when her alarm went off, she began to lose track of time. Things spiraled out of control, everything became urgent, and everything had to be done immediately, which meant everything elsewas pushed aside or moved ahead. Her personal life got swept away in the rising tide of work.

Or rather, yougot swept aside, she told Miranda mentally as she scrolled through her contact list looking for Edie’s number. And that might’ve been me, but let’s face it, it was you, too, and you know it.

If things had been good between them—if they’d stayedgood, as good as they’d been when the two women had started dating—then Joanne wouldn’t have thrown herself into work so much. She wouldn’t have found excuses to stay at the office late, or schedule showings after hours, or dread coming home after a while.

So chew on that, bitch.

Finding Edie’s number, Joanne typed a quick text. Running late. I’m sorry! Crazy Friday! Be there soon!

Then she put her car into gear and tore out of the parking lot. Traffic or no, rush hour be damned, she was going to do her best to make it to Carytown in fifteen minutes.

* * * *

She managed it in twenty, which was a bit of a record. The fact that she wasn’t pulled for doing seventy in a fifty-five zone on the interstate—in a safety corridor, at that—only added to her delight. When she finally took the Cary Street exit off the Downtown Expressway, she checked her phone and found a response from Edie waiting. No rush, I got here early to find parking. A gorgeous night! Will wait by the door. C U soon.

Joanne smiled at her reflection in the rearview mirror. See? She wasn’t mad. Still, Joanne didn’t curb her speed too much as she took the corner onto Cary and cruised down the busy, one-way street. She didn’t even bother looking for a parking spot here—Carytown was always packed, and there was enough parking in lots behind the buildings and on side streets that it wasn’t worth the effort to fight for a spot on the main drag. Soon she got tired of the pedestrians and the brake lights—Edie was right, it was a great evening, and both sidewalks were mobbed with people milling about, shopping and dining and strolling around, relaxing into the start of the weekend. So Joanne cut down one of the side streets and soon found an empty spot in a free parking deck behind the Byrd Theatre, a block or two from the brewery. Snagging her purse, she locked her car door and hurried to find Edie in the crowds.