Free A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr

Then good riddance!”
    Scanning the room to avoid eye contact, I said, “I don't know if it was that bad, actually. I was kind of drunk.”
    Her eyes widening, Claire said, “You? You never get that drunk!”
    “I made an exception. I was terrified!”
    Claire started laughing. “Terrified of what?”
    Shaking my head, I said, “I don't know. Being awkward and uncomfortable?”
    “So instead you got sloppy drunk? I'm sure you were graceful like a ballerina, little sister.”
    I brushed the top of my hand against my lips to stop biting them again. “I vaguely recall giving him a strip tease.”
    “You gave him a ….” Claire started laughing and repeated, “You gave him a …. strip-tease? Ha ha!” Shaking and holding her stomach, she continued to laugh. “Priceless!”
    “Shut up!” If the tables had been turned, I knew I'd be much more supportive and at least wait until Claire left the room to laugh my ass off at her expense.
    Tears streaming down her cheeks, Claire continued to clutch her stomach.
    “It's not that funny,” I insisted. “Really, it's not … ” Feeling my mouth start to quiver, I placed both hands on my hips and gave Claire my most serious lips-pursed expression to avoid laughing. But as my own body began to spasm, I lost the stubborn grip I had on my facial expression and soon we were both keeled over in hysterics.
    When I finally regained control of my vocal chords, I punched Claire in the arm, “Why didn't you tell me dating was this hard!”
    “I did, little sis! I did,” Claire said, a fat tear of laughter still lodged in the corner of her left eye.
    Conceding, I said, “I suppose you did.”
    Finally serious, Claire said, “I'm sorry you found yourself another asshole, Jane. But at least you learned a lesson, right?”
    “What? Don't expect a guy to call after sex?”
    Claire shook her head.
    Maybe there was a bright side after all. “What?”
    “If you don't want a guy to call, just give him a strip-tease. So far it's got a hundred percent success rate.”
    No longer laughing, I said, “Not funny, Claire.”
    “Just kidding.” Claire kissed me on the cheek. “It will be OK. I promise. And besides, you're gonna be an aunt!”
    Smiling, I draped my arm around Claire, put my head on her shoulder and said, “Best news I've heard all year.”

C HAPTER 15
    I glanced at my watch and hoped that Cory would get there soon. He had sent me a text twenty minutes earlier that he was leaving his office in five minutes.
    “I can't wait to meet your man, Jane!” Marissa said.
    “Yes, we'll try not to embarrass you too much,” Lainie said. “But, if we do embarrass you and he still calls tomorrow, you'll know you've finally found a good one!”
    I hadn't planned on asking Cory to meet my friends so soon but when I told him that Katherine had bailed on our reservation at a new sushi restaurant downtown, he offered to take her place. “Just don't bring up sex, OK?”
    “I would never!” Marissa said.
    Motioning toward Lainie, I said, “I was referring to her.”
    Her lips on the edge of an overflowing apple martini, Lainie took a sip and carefully put the glass down. Feigning innocence, she asked, “Who me?”
    “Yes you!” I said.
    “Couldn't be!”
    Laughing Marissa said, “Then who?”
    Just then, I felt a hand on each of my shoulders and, startled, turned around and saw a smiling freckle-faced Cory. “Hi there!” Touching the seat next to me, I said, “Sit.”
    Cory kissed me on the cheek before sitting down and saying, “Hi” to the girls. After brief introductions, we each looked at the menu. Cory gently placed his hand over mine and asked, “You guys want to share a bunch of rolls?”
    Looking up from her menu, Marissa said, “Sounds good to me.”
    “Me too,” said Lainie.
    Squeezing his hand, I said, “Me three,” and smiled at him.
    When I had met Cory at a house party thrown by one of Kevin's friends a week after my parents' anniversary party, I