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Tate’s chuckles ran up her spine and then he said, “Bye, Audrey.”

  Going slow since she was still worried about her head, she jogged off, thanking the Lord that she didn’t give in to her desire to ravish him in the park, but no one said she couldn’t fantasize about it as she ran.

  It would make the run more pleasurable in her opinion.

  ~*~

  Later that morning, Audrey lay at her desk with her face in a pile of paperwork. Her body was aching from the tip of her toes to the top of her head, complete with a new lump, thanks to a stupid pole. What was she thinking? She should just accept the cellulite, love it. Find a man who would love it too, who would eat icing off it. It would be way better than running and being all healthy.

  With a sigh, Audrey knew she would go again tomorrow despite her aching muscles.

  Trying not to move, she reached for her ringing phone to see that it was Fallon calling. Hitting answer, she groaned, “Hello?”

  “Jeez, what’s wrong with you?”

  “I went running this morning, my body hurts.”

  “Why on earth would you do that?”

  Audrey shook her head and grimaced in pain, “Some people don’t have a sexy Fallon body that can eat anything and not gain a pound.”

  “You don’t need one. You have a sexy Audrey body.”

  “Oh I do, and I want to stay that way, but I’ve been eating a lot of cupcakes lately.”

  “Yum, bring me some.”

  “Will do, so what’s up?” Audrey asked.

  “Nothing, just wanted to chat,” she said. Audrey could hear her moving papers and the phone ringing in the background as she continued, “Did you watch Survivor last night!?” Survivor used to be their thing when Fallon lived with Audrey. They loved Wednesday nights with their favorite show. A big bottle of wine for Fallon, beer for Audrey and a bowl of popcorn to share and they were in heaven.

  It hadn’t been like that for months, Audrey thought sadly. Fallon probably watched it with Lucas now. But that was fine; Audrey was going to start watching it with Tate.

  “Not yet, I’m watching it tonight.”

  “Why are you waiting?”

  Audrey shrugged as she said, “Tate hasn’t watched it yet either, so we are watching it tonight.”

  “Tate?”

  “Tate Ooooooodder,” she giggled then stopped since it hurt her head, “You know, Tate, Lucas’ friend.”

  “I know who he is, and why are you dragging out his last name?” Fallon asked but didn’t wait for the answer and went on, “But no, really, why are you watching it with him?”

  “We’ve been hanging out,” Audrey said simply.

  “Like, hanging out…or just watching TV.”

  Audrey smiled, “Just watching TV. He’s my neighbor, we’re cool.”

  “Oh, okay. Please don’t tell me you’re back with Levi?”

  “No,” Audrey answered, “but he hasn’t stopped texting me about how we should just keep fooling around.”

  “Ew, I think I just threw up in my mouth,” Fallon groaned, causing Audrey to giggle even if it did hurt her head. Fallon could be so funny sometimes.

  “Oh hush, I haven’t talked to him in a while, no big deal.”

  “Yeah, I guess. Too bad Tate isn’t older huh? I think y’all would be cute together.”

  Audrey paused, sitting up slowly, “So you think Tate is too young too?”

  “Well yeah, you’re close to 30, he just turned 21. That’s a big gap.”

  “So if we were to get together, you’d think it was weird?” Audrey asked. She didn’t know why she asked that. It was basically an opening for her to admit she liked Tate, but she needed to talk to someone other than Piper about it. Piper thought Audrey getting with Tate was the best idea since slice bread, but Audrey needed someone else’s opinion about it.

  Fallon paused, “Well no, I wouldn’t. I just want you to be happy. The guy could have one leg and nine eyes but if he made you the happiest girl on earth, nothing else would matter.”

  “Well that’s good,” Audrey answered, biting down on her lip.

  “Why? Is it more than just watching TV?”

  Audrey paused, trying to choose her words wisely. When she still hadn’t answer, Fallon asked, “Audrey?”

  “Yeah, I’m here,” she finally said, “No, it isn’t more, but he wants it to be.”

  “Wow, really?”

  “Yeah, weird huh?”

  Fallon scoffed, “Hell no, it isn’t weird. You’re gorgeous and amazing, why wouldn’t he want to be with you?”

  “Because I’m older than he, shouldn’t he be with someone his own age?” Audrey asked, leaving out the part about her being a dried up hag who would never be able to give him children.

  Fallon paused before she said, “Are you really letting that bother you?”

  “I guess I am, but you just don’t understand,” Audrey said sadly, “I am scared that he only wants sex. I don’t want another Levi.”

  “Tate isn’t like that. He’s a good guy, Lucas thinks very highly of him.”

  “I know but I…”Audrey stopped, and shook her head. What the hell was Audrey doing? “I slept with him already.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yeah, it was before I knew who he was.”

  “Wow, oh my gosh, when?”

  Audrey could tell Fallon was shocked. She was doing that sputtering thing she did when she didn’t understand something or was completely out of her element. She’d be okay, Audrey had to tell her. “The night of your bachelorette party.”

  “So what? Like a one night stand?”

  “Yeah.”

  “With Tate?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh my God, wow. I’m totally stunned. I didn’t know you did that kind of thing,” Fallon said slowly, “I am totally stunned.”

  “I don’t! It was a onetime thing, I got into a stupid fight with Levi and then I went to the bar where Tate was. He gave me a sexy grin, and batted those baby blues and I was a gonner!”

  “They are intoxicating,” Fallon agreed, “but Tate? Wow. I didn’t know it was this advanced.”

  “What do you mean, advanced?! It hasn’t gone anywhere. We are getting to know each other. I’m trying to figure out if I should…you know, advance it.”

  “Audrey Jane, you slept with him after knowing him for what…a few minutes? Then you proceed to get to know him afterwards. If you were really worried about him wanting more sex then you wouldn’t be getting to know him. I don’t believe this ‘I’m too old and he only wants sex crap’ so tell me, what is keeping you from moving forward with who I think is a great guy?”

  Audrey didn’t even think, she just said, “My insecurities.”

  “Audrey Jane, really? You are fantastic, you are--”

  “Fallon, stop,” Audrey said interrupting her, “I don’t need your ‘Audrey, you are fantastic speech’. I know I am awesome, but there are things about me you don’t know, things I’m not ready to tell you.”

  Fallon surprised Audrey by laughing. “Then why did you just say that? You know I’m gonna bug you till you tell me.”

  Audrey rolled her eyes, “Bye, Fallon.”

  Hanging up the phone, Audrey knew she had messed up, but maybe it was her subconscious. Maybe she really did need to tell someone. Maybe then she would know if it was worth the shot with Tate.

  Or maybe she was just an idiot.

  ~*~

  A couple hours later, Audrey was standing on her porch, knocking on Tate’s door. She was nervous, and she didn’t understand why. Was it because she had spent an hour trying to cover up the horrible bruise on her head and hoped she still looked good. Or was it because she had flirted with Tate earlier that day and really didn’t mean too? She didn’t want to lead him on, she wanted to be honest, but it was just so damn hard to do the right thing. She just wanted to know what to do. She wanted a handbook, one that would tell her who her husband would be, what he would want from her, and that they would live Happily