Free The Sex Education of M.E. by L. B. Dunbar

there. I went to them, so I could leave, or we used the convenience of wherever we were located.
    “I’m not having this conversation. So I brought someone there. Once.”
    “You want to bring her again, though?” he questioned, and I hardened my face, hoping to hide any expression of guilt. I did want Emme to return.
    “How did this conversation turn to me?”
    “We were talking commitment,” he laughed. My eyes narrowed at him. There was no way he could know about Emme. Then I blinked in shock. Her name crossing my mind startled me. She had a date. She walked away. She didn’t want my proposal. I didn’t do commitment, regardless. That’s why I propositioned her.
    “Never gonna happen.”
    “Wanna bet? Cubs tickets say it’s gonna happen.”
    “You’re on. Cubs tickets. I want a nice sunny day game in September. I look forward to the box.”
    My brother’s company owned a box that could be reserved for personal events. If I did lose, bleacher seats would be the place I could afford. I didn’t worry about losing.
     

“You need to call him,” Gia encouraged, waving my phone at me.
    “He made himself perfectly clear, Gia. I had a date and that was a signal he wanted nothing more to do with me.”
    “That’s not true,” she said, reaching for her glass of wine as we sat on my back deck. The night was warm and the girls were gone again. Gia’s ex had the kids for a few hours, and she took a breather to be an adult, as she liked to call it. She was only in her early thirties but the age difference didn’t matter to either of us. At some point, being a mother halted all barriers of age discrepancy and bound women to each other.
    “Explain to me how you know this about Merek. And again, how you got him to show up at O’Malley’s?” My lips twisted as I shook my head. “Look, I know you’re a pro at this dating thing, but I’m not so ancient I can’t read a sign.”
    “Can you just trust me on this? You have to proposition the man, nowadays. Just text him. If he doesn’t respond, I promise, I’ll stop hounding and go back to MatchMe. You have like thirty requests.”
    “I do?” My eyes shot wide. It was obvious Rod was interested, he’d asked me out again. But I couldn’t imagine who else would want to date me. Then I remembered the site was full of predators and those looking for cougars (older women who craved younger men) and those with MILF obsessions (younger men looking for mother types).
    “Yes, you do. Emme, how many times do I have to tell you, you’re a beautiful woman. You have a great personality. You’re funny. Don’t let whatever it is that keeps you down, keep you down.”
    Gia knew Nate wasn’t always forthcoming with compliments or affection. The lack of attention over twenty years proved a subtle assault on my self-esteem. I couldn’t imagine who would be interested in a forty-something with two kids and a mortgage.
    “You know what?” I reached for my phone in Gia’s hand. “I’ll text him just to prove he isn’t going to respond.”
- I want a ride.
    “There.” I showed Gia the message. “He isn’t going to…” Aimed toward Gia, the phone pinged with a response. She choked on her wine. Flipping the phone to face me, I read the reply.
- I’d love to drive you.
    Oh, my God , I mouthed to Gia. Her eyes danced as she waved for me to respond.
    “I don’t even know what to say.”
    “You say, Now. Yes, now.” Her eyes started fluttering. “Oh, yeah, now. Right there…”
    “Okay, I got it.” I laughed, raising my hand to stop further description. My fingers shook as I typed three simple letters. N.O.W.
    The following text was the address of the apartment where we previously went.

    To say I was nervous was an understatement. Was I taking the risk of a lifetime? In the grand scheme of life, no. A risk with my body? In many ways, yes, but I tingled all over at the thought. A risk with my heart? My head overruled.
    “Don’t overthink,” Gia warned