Free Love Conquers All by E. L. Todd Page A

after the gym and headed to the bar. I wasn’t sure if Monnique was going to be there, and I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to make the night about me. The last thing I wanted to do was make everyone uncomfortable. I didn’t want to cut her out of my life, and I certainly didn’t want to ostracize her from everyone else.
    When I arrived, Sean, Scarlet, Ryan, and Janice were already there. They sat in the large booth, downing their glasses. Only Scarlet wasn’t drinking.
    “Hey,” I said as I sat down.
    “How’d the date go?” Ryan blurted.
    “Hi to you too,” I said sarcastically.
    “How’d the date go?” Scarlet repeated.
    They were leaning over the table so far that it looked like I was whispering a secret to them.
    “It was fine.”
    “Fine?” Ryan asked. “That’s all you’re giving us?”
    “You better start giving details,” Scarlet said.
    “Did you fuck her?” Ryan asked.
    I knew they wouldn’t stop until I opened up. “We had a good time. She was really cool. She was smart, easy going, and fun. And she was beautiful.”
    “Please tell me you scored,” Ryan said. “You better have.”
    “Did you kiss her?” Scarlet asked.
    “When I walked her home, we kissed at her apartment,” I said.
    Sean nodded his head in approval. “Looks like Monnique is history.”
    “Was she a good kisser?” Ryan asked.
    “Yeah, she was,” I said honestly.
    “Did you go inside afterwards?” Scarlet said.
    “I did,” I said honestly.
    “Yes,” Ryan clapped his hand s. “My boy got his dick wet.”
    “No, I didn’t,” I said calmly.
    “What? Why not?” Ryan asked.
    “We started making out in her room and…it just didn’t happen,” I said.
    “Why?” Scarlet asked. “What stopped you?”
    I thought that was pretty obvious. “You know what stopped me.”
    Ryan rolled his eyes. “You should have just fucked her. Get it over and done with.”
    “I couldn’t,” I said.
    “Don’t give me that bullshit,” Ryan snapped.
    “No,” I said. “I physically could not do it.” I gave him a knowing look.
    He eyed me. “As in…you couldn’t get it up?”
    “Exactly,” I said.
    “Did you drink too much?” Scarlet asked. “That happens to Sean all the time.”
    Sean glared at her. “Thanks.”
    Scarlet rolled her eyes. “It’s really common. I’m not spilling any of your secrets.”
    “You still shouldn’t tell your friends your husband can’t always get hard,” Sean said.
    “Okay, enough with that conversation,” Ryan interrupted us. He turned back to me. “So…what does that mean?”
    “Not only am I in love with Monnique, but my entire body is,” I said. “I can’t just forget about her. I can’t just be with someone to help me move on. It’s…impossible.”
    Everyone fell silent. They all stared at me like I’d fall apart piece by piece.
    “What does this mean?” Scarlet asked. “Are you getting back together with her?”
    “I don’t know,” I said honestly.
    “Are you going to go on more dates?” Ryan asked. “Maybe this girl just wasn’t right for you.”
    “She was pretty damn cool,” I said. “Honestly, if I wasn’t hung up on Monnique I would be fucking her brains out right now.”
    Scarlet shared a look with Ryan then looked at me. “If Monnique is the woman you want, be with her. We know she did a lot of bad things, but she didn’t cheat on you. We’ll support you if that’s what you decide.”
    “Thanks,” I said. “But I don’t know yet. By the way, is she coming?”
    Scarlet nodded. “I hope that’s okay…”
    “Yeah, of course,” I said. “She and I are friends. We can be in the same room together.”
    Ryan put his arm around Janice’s shoulders. “We won’t talk about your date when she gets here.”
    “I don’t have anything to hide,” I said. “I told her it was going to happen.”
    “Okay,” Ryan said.
    “Is Hazel and Flynn coming?” Sean asked.
    “No,” I said. “When I called her she said they were busy