Free Be My Queen by RayeAnn Carter

listen to music."
    Jessica must have something else in mind, but an awkward time with someone she'd probably never like trumped a horror movie any day.

Chapter Twelve
    Diego opened the door to Patrick and Jessica's room. He hadn't seen Lavender in a while. She sat on the carpet with her hands on her knees as Jessica applied makeup to her eyes. Her fingernails and toenails gleamed a wet, opalescent purple. He grinned. "Is everything going all right in here?"
    Jessica looked up. "Has he fallen asleep yet?"
    "He keeps nodding off, but when his chin hits his chest, he wakes up again."
    "Keep him company until he's good and out. Then I'm going to introduce Lavender to Katherine Hepburn. Can you believe she's never seen The Philadelphia Story ?"
    He could believe a lot more than that. He blew Lavender a kiss. She looked like she was enduring Jessica's ministrations more than enjoying them. He would rescue her as soon as he had the chance.
    In the living room, Patrick had taken over the couch. "What took you so long?"
    "Checking on the girls."
    Patrick sang a line from a totally inappropriate song.
    Diego sat on the floor with his back against the couch. "You might think of your girl that way, but mine is a lady."
    "Meaning you haven't had sex with her yet."
    "That depends on how you define sex." Coming while holding her was sex in Diego's book.
    "If you have to say that, it means you aren't getting any."
    Diego picked up a potato chip from the bowl on the coffee table, but decided not to eat it. "We haven't had our third date yet."
    Patrick propped himself up on his elbow. "You have just a week to seduce a girl and you picked one who won't put out? What's wrong with you?"
    Diego didn't want a girl for just one night or one week. He'd been looking for his perfect person all his life, taking chances on any girl or guy who was interested in him, taking risks that his heart might break. It had come close once or twice, but Lavender was different. If they broke up, he'd be devastated.
    "You think you're in love with her?"
    He nodded. What was the point of denying it? That's what these feelings meant.
    "You do realize that you've never been in a relationship that lasted longer than a few months?"
    "This one will be different." He couldn't imagine being happy to see Lavender happy with anyone else or anywhere else but at his side.
    Patrick patted Diego's shoulder. "I'm here for you, man."
    Patrick always had been, no matter what he thought of Diego's newest ex, or new boy- or girlfriend. A friend, indeed.
    Which made Diego feel slightly guilty for wanting Patrick to just fall asleep already, so he could put on a movie the girls would like, and return Lavender to his arms.
    Maybe another beer would help.
    *~*~*
    Lavender looked at herself in Jessica's well-lit mirror. How could Jessica's application of makeup, using the exact same kinds as Lavender, have such a different result? Her eyes looked bigger and darker, her cheekbones higher and more defined, her lips the perfect shape. This was what she always hoped to look like when she put on makeup, but never quite managed.
    "Like I said," Jessica fluffed Lavender's hair. "I took community college classes as a teenager. My dad wouldn't let me wear makeup until I could put it on correctly."
    Lavender frowned. "Could you teach me to do this?"
    Jessica grinned. "Sure."
    That's what she'd been after all evening. She hadn't liked Lavender's makeup, and she wanted to show Lavender the 'correct' way. But Lavender didn't have to like Jessica to learn from her.
    *~*~*
    Diego pulled Lavender closer against him. She'd fallen asleep half an hour ago, but he hated to move her. She was so beautiful. He rubbed his lips across her hair.
    Jessica nodded at them. "You seem quite taken with her."
    "I am. You still think she's too perfect?"
    Jessica sighed. "I think she's a girl trying to be a woman, but without proper role models."
    "Did you have proper role models?"
    "I did. But too few girls do." The tinge of