“I’m trying not to over think this or get too confused, but I had an incredible make-out session today with a guy who’s into me and who’s also leaving in, like, two months. And I’m nervous and excited and terrified because an old boyfriend wants to fly me to Mexico for three days. You’re right—I have gone from zero to sixty.”
Elaine nodded, wise as ever. “Let me guess. You want to know if it’s okay to have two guys in your life.”
“Yep. Because this is a first for me.”
“Well, according to Richie’s rules of relationship, be honest and open about what you’re doing with everyone involved.”
“I did mention to Leo I was going away in two weeks. But I didn’t say ‘old boyfriend’ and ‘Mexican beach resort.’ Do you think I should?”
“Are the two of you going to have more study sessions?”
“He’s coming over Friday afternoon, and we’re going to make pasta for dinner.”
Elaine tapped her fingernails against her glass. “That sounds like a date, Anna.”
“It kinda does, doesn’t it? But I did tell him I didn’t know if I would be getting sexual with my travel companion.”
“And he was okay with that?”
“He seemed to be.”
“Then you’re good. And not to change the topic or anything, but how’s work?”
Anna emitted a growl from the back of her closet.
“Not nearly as nice as my love life,” she said. Backing out, she turned to Elaine and handed over a stack of sweaters. “I went to see Harry about the seiner he bought, the one he wants to turn into a floating holiday rental—which, if you recall, was my idea in the first place—and turns out his nephew needed a project, so the kid is doing the work.”
Elaine shook out one of the sweaters, appraised it, and harrumphed. “This is good for moth food, and I’m sorry to hear about that boat.” She tossed the sweater onto the growing pile near the door and picked up the next one for inspection. “And yes, floating weekend love boats were your idea. No reason two can’t play at that game.”
“Are you suggesting I buy a boat and fix it myself?”
“Maybe. You’ve got the skills and the connections down at the marina.”
“Yeah.” Anna caught on that Elaine had something up her sleeve. “But I don’t have the capital.”
“I could loan you the money, one hussy to the other.”
“And what, so we can have a fleet of floating bordellos?” She was tempted to toss out the blouses hanging limply from both hands. Or wave them in Elaine’s face.
“Crazier ships have been launched from less and stayed afloat. I’ve got money stashed away,” she pointed out, raising an eyebrow to Anna’s resistance. “You do too.”
Anna sat on the edge of the bed, roving her gaze over the mess in her room. “That money came from Gary’s life insurance policy. I’m scared to touch it.”
Elaine set the pile of sweaters to the side, rested her palm between Anna’s shoulder blades, and rubbed the backside of her friend’s heart. “You don’t have to invest the entire amount. It doesn’t cost anything to have an idea, and I’m ready for a change. I haven’t told anybody yet, but I plan to put three of the food trucks up for sale in January. One of my assistants has already gone to her family about a loan.”
“But what are you planning to do?” Anna asked. Elaine’s food trucks were popular before the movement took hold in other places, and now their culinary offerings were legendary. It was hard for her to imagine Elaine severing her connection to one of her most successful ideas. “I had no idea you wanted to do something different.”
“My fiftieth birthday is two years away, and when I cross that threshold, I want to be free to come and go as I please. All we need is a fantastic product, a strong social media presence, and a tiny crew on island to prep the boats for guests and take care of repairs if we’re not here.”
“Have you written a business plan already?”
“Nope.” Elaine laughed. “The idea came to me as I was folding your ratty sweaters. And the more I picture it, the more I like it.”
Elaine stayed for dinner. Together, they finished the bottle of wine and started a list of tasks for their new business venture. Over mugs of decaf coffee, they returned to Anna’s closet. Elaine took over sorting her wardrobe while Anna hashed out her inner resistance to dating two men at the same time.
Except she and Leo weren’t dating in any traditional definition of the concept, Elaine pointed out, and she and Daniel weren’t doing…anything. Not yet. Except for a little flirting, inspired by shared memories of how things were between them for that brief time oh, so many years ago.
Daniel continued to text her once a day during his trip. He was due back in New York on Saturday, which meant Anna had two days to see Leo again. And then she’d make her decision.
Elaine suggested there was nothing to decide. Neither man was asking for exclusivity, and what she and Leo were doing was not, technically, dating.
Like she said, they were study buddies.
Chapter Eight
Friday afternoon, Leo knocked at Anna’s kitchen door. She waved him in, noting the cloth shopping bags dangling from each hand, and reached for one, placing it on the counter to her right.
“What do you have in these?” She pulled the straps apart.
“Stuff for making pasta.” He placed the other bag on the opposite counter and turned, leaning against the chipped edge of the ancient Formica.
Anna searched for what to say, and Leo seemed equally uncertain about this interlude between social niceties and getting to the intimate exercises. He wasn’t trying to get too close or touchy, but he did seem to be waiting for her to take the lead. She experienced waves of reservations, even with Elaine cheering her on and
