“I doubt it,” she said.
Thanksgiving hadn’t come and gone and already Santa and red-nosed reindeer displays stared back at her as Tanya collected a shopping basket. Cali’s chest grew heavy with thoughts of the holidays. Alone.
“You want to grab a salad later?” Tanya leaned onto the basket handle and kicked up her feet like a teenager.
“No. I need to go home and slay a dragon.”
“What dragon?” Tanya reached for a paintbrush.
“My boyfriend. We’ve known each other less than three months. His roommate asked him to move out, so he’s crashing at my place until his new apartment becomes available. But it’s been almost a month and he hasn’t once mentioned the apartment again.”
Tanya scowled. “I hate moochers.”
“He chipped in a little money to help out, but…I used to like him. He’s nice to old people. A month ago, I thought we had something, but now...maybe I’m just losing it.” The words vibrated through her head. God, she didn’t want to admit that either. So what if she had dreams in which her dead mother talked about lesbians? She felt Tanya’s gaze. “I’m dealing with my mama’s death, and he wonders why I’m not in an amorous mood.”
“It hasn’t even been a week since the funeral.” Tanya stared at the tip of the paintbrush. “I think he’s a jerk. Especially if the bracelet is a fake.”
She thought about her dream, her mom’s accusation of Stan flirting, and almost asked if Tanya had met Stan at the funeral. But that was silly.
“I’ve got a boyfriend crisis myself.” Tanya dropped the paintbrush into the basket. “His name is Eric—blond, a little short, but a nice ass.” She grinned. “I’m an ass woman.”
Cali smiled at Tanya’s bluntness. “So what’s the crisis?”
Tanya let out an exaggerated huff. “This will be our third date. And you know what happens on the third date.”
“I hold out to the fifth,” Cali teased.
Tanya’s brows wiggled. “You wouldn’t with his ass.”
Cali laughed. Something about hanging with Tanya made Cali feel normal. She hadn’t felt normal in a long time.
“The gallery that sells my earrings sold six sets this week. If I don’t replace them, they’ll give the space to someone else. So I’ve got to decide if it’s a jewelry or a sex weekend.”
“You can’t do both?” Cali asked.
“Nah, I’m an all or nothing kind of girl. It’s screw the jewelry—or Eric.”
Cali hadn’t touched a canvas since her mom’s cancer. “Couldn’t you have sex on Saturday, and do jewelry on Sunday?” She ran a finger over the tubes of colors, nostalgic for left-behind dreams.
“But if it’s good sex, I’ll want more on Sunday.” Tanya picked up a tube of ice-blue acrylic. “What’s your thing?”
“Watercolors,” Cali said. “But I haven’t painted in a while.”
Tanya laughed. “I meant with men. I’m an ass woman. What are you?”
“Oh.” She chuckled. “I don’t know. I guess—”
“Shoulders.” Tanya leaned into the buggy. “Stan has nice shoulders.”
The question spilled out. “Did you two meet at the funeral?”
“Yeah.” Her friend turned back to the paint. “You should start painting again.” She grabbed a pack of watercolors. “Art therapy. My treat.”
“No.” Cali reshelved the paint. “I’m not in the mood.” The words sounded so familiar that she pressed her hand to her forehead. “God, have I said that enough lately.”
Tanya arched a brow. “So are you breaking up with him, or just telling him to get his own place?”
Cali hesitated. “I don’t know. Before my mama died I thought I liked him. Now…”
“Sounds like you’re breaking up.” Tanya eyed the bracelet. “Hide the jewelry before you toss his ass out.”
Cali frowned. Silent Night played in the background, and Cali wondered how silent her night would be once she got home to Stan. Something told her Stan wouldn’t go quietly.
Chapter Two
Thirty minutes later, Cali parked her Honda beside Stan’s white truck. She climbed the steps to her apartment and opened the door.
Stan stood up from the computer desk in the corner of the room. “Hey.” He moved closer. “I was hoping you’d get here before I left. I got you set up so you can pay your credit card online.”
Cali took a step back. “We need to talk.”
He kept coming. “You look tired.”
“I am tired, but—”
“Do you want me to grab you a beer? I picked some up this afternoon.”
“No.” Her gaze slid to his chest. Stan did have nice shoulders. Is that what she’d seen in him? Had she even noticed them until now?
He caught her hand and twirled the jewelry around. “You like it?”
“Yes, but I can’t keep it.” She started to take it off.