HEAL YOU | JENLISA

FIFTEEN

LISA

* * *

AFTER PRACTICE, WE DECIDE TO HANG OUT IN ADAM’S BACKYARD and have drinks to celebrate the LVMH news instead of going out. He’s remodeling and just had a fire pit installed. There’s nice outdoor furniture and blooming whatever-the-fuck trees (the flowers are purple, that’s all I know), and the fire keeps people from getting cold at night. It’s a sweet arrangement.

“What are we celebrating again?” Adam asks as he hands margaritas to me and Michael. He makes the best margaritas. They’re strong, and he lines the rim with salt—my favorite part.

“Good news with LVMH,” I say.

“Have you guys signed anything?” he asks.

I take a sip of my drink, and yeah, it’s really good. “Nah, it’s too early for that.”

“So we’re celebrating a phone call?” he asks with a skeptical frown.

Michael laughs. “Yeah, we’re celebrating a phone call. It was a good one. Cheers.” He holds out his drink, and we all clink our glasses together. As I’m swallowing a mouthful of tequila and lime juice, he adds, “We’re also celebrating Lisa’s new girlfriend.”

I choke and alcohol burns down my windpipe, making me wheeze and cough while Adam pounds not so helpfully on my back. When I can finally breathe, I rasp out, “What the fuck? She’s not my girlfriend.”

Adam perks up and looks to Michael for confirmation. “She’s seeing someone?”

Over the rim of his margarita glass, Michael grins like that cat from Alice in Wonderland. “She is.”

“We’re hooking up. That hardly counts as ‘seeing someone,’ ” I say, and I don’t like that I’m right.

Michael rolls his eyes. “Did you guys finally get it on last night?” “No, she was crying and upset about stuff and I’m not an asshole,” I say.

“She heard she was crying and ran over to see her so fast,” Michael says to Adam in a loud fake whisper. “Our woman Lisa has himself a girlfriend.”

Adam nods tentatively. “If I was only hooking up with someone, I’d stay away from them when they were crying.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I say firmly.

“Do you want her to be?” Michael asks.

I look down into my margarita and shake the glass so the liquid swirls. “Maybe.” I sigh and admit the truth, “Okay, yeah. I like Jennie a lot, but she specifically wanted something simple. She’s coming out of a relationship and going through some life stuff. Plus, I’m not sure I’m ready.”

Adam frowns, but he nods, accepting what I’ve said. He’s never pushy or nosy. He’s the best listener.

Michael, on the other hand, makes a scoffing sound. “Bullshit you’re not ready. It’s been over a year since your surgery. And what happened when you came over? Was she uncomfortable about it? Did she send you away?”

“She asked me to stay the night,” I reveal, and the resulting look on Michael’s face is so delighted that I kind of want to punch him. “You’re so annoying, you know that?”

He tries to look innocent. “So you spent the night, and you didn’t get it on. That’s definitely hookup territory.”

Adam grins, though he doesn’t say anything.

“The plan is to finally get our one-night stand right tomorrow,” I say.

“That’ll be their fourth try at hooking up,” Michael explains to Adam, who looks confused.