“Opportunities?” Rebecca said sardonically. “You mean when strange men who cheat are at my house?”
Kincaid gave her a patient look. “Honey, I know you’re always working and are probably more of a date-with-an-eye-to-the-future kind of girl. I get it. We’re in our thirties now, clock’s ticking, all that bullshit the world likes to remind us of. But sometimes it’s fun to just, you know, find a hot guy to hook up with, especially one who’s outside your normal dating zone.”
Rebecca stared at her. “He’s. A. Cheater.”
“Which doesn’t really matter if you’re just going to take him to bed once or twice,” Kincaid said. “That doesn’t mean he’s not going to be any fun. A guy can be terrible relationship material but a fantastic lay.”
Liv laughed. “I hate to say it, but she speaks the truth.”
Rebecca turned to Liv, lips parted. “Et tu, Brute?”
Liv’s mouth curved wryly. “Hey, I’m all about the committed relationship now, but before Finn… Well, you know. I wasn’t out to put a ring on anybody.”
Taryn shook her head and dabbed her lips with a napkin. “Clearly, I’m doing this single thing all wrong. I can report that these random hot men are not hanging out in Long Acre or at the university research library.”
“No, apparently, they’re hanging out on the streets of downtown Austin waiting to save a damsel in distress and her trusty doggy companion,” Kincaid said.
“I am no damsel,” Rebecca announced. “And believe it or not, I’m not holding out for The One. I don’t believe in that concept. I’m not even looking for long-term.”
“Really?” Liv asked, surprise in her voice. “But your letter…”
“Was written by a lonely, infatuated teenage girl who didn’t know any better. I’m a divorce attorney. What I see at work every day doesn’t exactly boost my confidence in the institution of marriage. I don’t want any part of that, but hookups are complicated.”
“Complicated?” Kincaid cocked her head. “Then you’re doing it wrong. By their very definition, they’re supposed to be the opposite.”
“Not for me,” Rebecca said. “The last true hookup I had was in college. The guy was someone I met at a bar my friends dragged me out to. I went with him to his place, and the minute things got R-rated and he took off my pants, I had to deal with all the questions.”
“Your scars?” Taryn asked.
“Yeah. There’s no way to hide them in that situation, and there’s no way someone’s not going to ask questions. So if the scars don’t turn them off at first sight, the answers to those questions are just about the number one mood-killer for a hot night.” She stabbed her fork into her pancakes. “The guy couldn’t…perform after that. I had no idea if it was because of my story or the scars themselves. So, yeah, fun night. I’d like to avoid a repeat. I’m better just casually seeing someone who’s already a friend or colleague and knows my background. The friends-with-benefits kind of thing.”
Though she didn’t have that many friends, and it’d been far too long since she’d had any benefits.
Liv frowned. “I’m sorry, Bec. That sucks.”
“But that was one guy,” Kincaid said gently. “Not all guys are going to react that way. If you don’t want to get into the whole story, just make up something.”
“You want me to lie to a guy to get him in bed?”
“You’re not doing it to get him into bed,” Kincaid clarified. “He’s already in your bed at this point. Just tell him you were in a car accident. Something simple that doesn’t bring up all those questions. You shouldn’t have to relive that night every damn time you just want to get laid. That’s not fair.”
Rebecca chewed her pancakes, absorbing Kincaid’s words but shaking her head. “I don’t know. I think I’m incapable of something that spontaneous anyway. I overthink everything.”
Kincaid shrugged. “All I’m saying is that not every guy has to get all A’s on your report card. For a long-term partner, sure. Make someone meet all the standards. But for a good time, it’s okay to find a hot C student.”
Rebecca sniffed and tipped her chin up in mock haughtiness. “Valedictorians do not date C students.”
Kincaid grinned. “I didn’t say date one, sugar. Just screw one.”
Rebecca burst into a laugh, her friends joining in, and people at other tables turned their way to send them dirty looks. Rebecca pressed her hand over her mouth, trying to staunch the guffaw, but she didn’t really care if she was being obnoxious at the moment.
She needed this.
She didn’t know if her friends gave good advice, but they certainly knew how to get her mind off her horrible night and its awkward ending.
She leaned back in her seat, trying to catch her breath. “I heart you people.”
Liv and Taryn grinned back at her, and Kincaid patted her leg. “Back at ya, Becs. Now let’s finish up these pancakes and drag your ass to the pet store because we know Bartholomew is going home with you soon, and Aunt Kincaid needs to buy him a sparkly collar.”