words reassuringly. She pats my thigh, trying to make me feel more comfortable about this whole awkward situation.
It’s not working.
I haven’t seen Holly Matthews since that morning after the creek when my heart was ripped to shreds. She’s still gorgeous as ever. Though now, her hair is a bright platinum blond. It’s not the natural platinum like Julia’s. Hell, Julia and her sister were born with an almost silver hue to their hair. But Holly’s? It’s obvious this is the work of a salon. She wears much more makeup than I remember her wearing years ago, and clothes so tight, I know they can’t be comfortable. Even though I shouldn’t, I can’t seem to stop staring at her, taking in everything about her.
Flashes of the past keep slamming into me, one after another. Holly and End at their prom. Holly and End groping each other in the shadows. Holly and End driving off together the morning after he took my virginity.
There’s a burning in my chest. A green spill of envy spreads into the cavity, making it hard to breathe. I’m jealous of her. I’ve always been jealous of her because she’s had pieces of the man I’ve always wanted. And now…now that he wants to go on a date with me, of all people, I just can’t seem to wrap my head around any of it.
When did things in this town get so ass-backwards?
I quickly look elsewhere when Holly glances my way, staring straight at me. My crush on her boyfriend was obviously no secret to anyone here in town. Holly always knew about it, and I’m positive she’s always hated me for it. I try not to think about her and End, but I must enjoy pain because I can’t help myself. Part of me wonders what happened between them. When I left town, how much longer did they stay together? Or how much longer did they continue their friends-with-benefits relationship?
What made them call it quits?
Do they still have feelings for each other?
I’m all too thankful when Beth-Ann finally takes her place centerstage in the living room. She claps her hands together excitedly.
“Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here today. I really appreciate it. If you haven’t already guessed why you’re here, this is a sex toy party!” She throws her arms in the air and accidentally slaps one of the hanging dicks. I clamp my lips together, trying like hell not to burst out laughing.
“I’ve teamed up with a local brand to be a sponsor for their products. I’ll host these parties every few months to keep you all up-to-date on the newest and hottest products we have in store and online. All participants today will receive a goodie bag, and using my discount, you’ll get ten percent off any item of your choosing. Now,” she says, clasping her hands together, “I know you all didn’t come here today to hear me talk, so without further ado, I’m going to have Julia pass around our first product, a version of the famous Jack Rabbit. Feel free to pass it around and get a good look at it. You can turn it on and watch how it works. There’s also a catalog in front of you where you can mark the products you’re interested in.”
Most of the party is spent doing just that. I watch as sex toy after sex toy is passed around, each one more intricate than the previous one. There’s a permanent flush on my cheeks that I’m sure will never leave after seeing the things I’ve seen here today. I’m not a prude. Or at the very least, I don’t think I am, but I’ll also say, I’ve never used any kind of sex toy before.
For one, I’ve lived with my mother for the past five years, so having a dildo or anything of the like hardly seemed appropriate. And two, I have a curious five-year-old who is much too nosy for her own good. The last thing I need is her finding a dildo and running around the house with it. That seems more like a nightmare than it would be pleasurable.
I can admit that by the time we near the end of the party, I’m sort of enjoying myself. I’ve missed Julia. She makes me laugh, even in the worst situations, like this current one. We play a few games, and sadly, I’m the lucky winner of one of the products. I try to