“Well, you’re allowed to have good sex. You’re allowed to go out there now and do what you want. It always surprised me when you told me you dropped out of college to get married to Jamie.”
“I was too impressionable back then.” She sighed. “I wish I hadn’t.”
“Why? Do you want to work?”
“I don’t really know what to do with myself. Being Jamie’s wife was kind of a job in its own way. For his work, I had to socialize and maintain a certain image, you know? Arrange parties and dinner parties. Things like that.”
“No reason you couldn’t go back to college.”
“What’s the point? It’s not like I need the money.”
“No, but someday, Erin’s going to be eighteen, and you’re not going to be a full-time momma anymore. You’ll need to do something with yourself.”
Though she was right, Samantha winced. “I just feel badly, that’s all.”
“Why?”
“I don’t need the money. I’d be taking a job away from someone who does need it.”
Jessica pondered that a second. “Your sense of empathy is far too high. You need to do what you need, not what other people might need.”
“I guess. I still feel bad though.”
Jessica rolled her eyes as she polished the silver taps and knobs on the coffee machine. “Okay, so, tell me then. How do you feel about this situation with Josh?”
“What situation?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, chick. I know you too well.”
“I’m not playing dumb,” she argued. “Seriously, there’s no situation. We had sex.” She cleared her throat. “Very, very good sex, but there’s no situation. It’s not like we’re dating or anything.”
“I’m just surprised.”
“Why?”
“Because I’d have thought you’d need some kind of promise to get down and dirty with a guy.”
“I’m not a teenager anymore,” she grunted, rolling her eyes at the thought. “Nor do I belong in a Jane Austen novel. I wanted him at that moment, and he wanted me. That was enough.”
“Don’t you want more?”
Samantha pursed her lips. “Sure, I do.”
“Relationship more or sex more?”
“Sex more. I don’t want a relationship. Not yet.” Maybe not ever.
Jessica’s eyes widened. “You really mean that.”
“I do. I’m not in the habit of lying to you, Jessica.” Evading and avoiding, yes. But lying? No.
“Doesn’t he want more?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t been in touch with him since it happened.”
For a second, she felt sure Jessica’s wide mouth would comfortably fit an XXL gobstopper it was so wide. “You haven’t texted him or called him or anything?”
“No, why would I? I haven’t needed him for anything.”