Free Slice of Pi 2 by Elia Winters

“What about you? Are you close with your family?”
    If Owen recognized that she was changing the subject, he was kind enough not to acknowledge it. “Yeah. I’ve got three siblings and they’re all within a few hours’ drive. We all try to get together for holidays and we do a big gathering every summer. It’s nice.”
    â€œAre any of the rest of them into baking?”
    He shook his head. “No, that’s just me. I cooked with my mom as a little kid, but I didn’t really know what I was doing, of course.” He smiled, obviously recalling fond memories. “Used to try and make up my own recipes, which all turned out terrible, but my parents always ate whatever I made. I think they were amused more than anything. I took home ec as a freshman to try and meet girls, but ended up learning that I have a knack for baking, and I fell in love with it. My uncle bought the bakery right about the same time, so I started working summers for him. Went to culinary arts school, became a trained pastry chef, and bought the business from him when he wanted to retire.” He turned to face her. “There, that’s the whole life story.”
    â€œI think it’s great that your family supported you in following your dream.” Iris wondered what that would have been like, if her parents had stayed together, if she had siblings to visit.
    Owen nodded. “Honestly, I think they were just happy I found something. I wasn’t exactly a good student. School couldn’t hold my attention most of the time, and I was always getting into trouble. I think its because I had a huge crush on the guidance counselor, which is where they sent me when I kept cutting classes.” He grinned. “Miss Nelson. She was so hot.”
    Iris laughed. “Women in positions of authority?”
    â€œWhat can I say?” Owen gave a half shrug, as much as he could while lying down. “My patterns set in early. If it weren’t for baking, I’d probably have ended up dropping out or something. I wasn’t a dumb kid,” he added quickly. “Just easily bored. My family never gave up on me, though. They believed in me, and I couldn’t have succeeded if I hadn’t had that support. Running a business nearly killed me that first year, but they were always nearby if I needed help or advice.”
    Iris rolled away from him, onto her back, and made patterns out of the water stains on the popcorn ceiling. “I wish I had that. I have friends, at least. It’s not family, but it’s still good. And I have a fun social life.” This had gotten way too serious a conversation to follow some casual—albeit mind-blowing—sex.
    Owen turned over to look at her. Even though she was still focused on the ceiling, she could feel him watching her, calm and placid, his dark eyes asking nothing. It was pleasant to be looked at so peacefully. “I’m getting the impression that you avoid relationships. That’s working all right for you?”
    â€œSo far.” Iris shrugged. “None of my partners have really wanted relationships, and that suits me all right.”
    â€œWhat if you had a partner who wanted a relationship?” Owen propped himself up on his elbow.
    Iris looked over at him. “Are you asking to make this more serious?”
    â€œIt’s pretty early to suggest that. I’m talking purely hypothetically.” Owen’s expression stayed neutral.
    Iris looked back up at the ceiling again. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’m really relationship material.” It was simpler to just keep these things sex-only. If someone really got to know her, they’d see that she wasn’t good at the relationship aspects beyond sex. All those emotional hang-ups, the resistance to marriage and settling down, the fear of opening up. But if it was just sex . . .
    â€œWe could do this again if you wanted.”