person, whatever you call her.”

Her blond head tilted to the side.

“No, really, it’s true. She just wants to be friends right now,

and I’m not sure I can take any more friendship. Every time I see

her, I want to kiss her and choke her at the same time.”

Robin Alexander

Fuzzy’s tongue flopped out.

“Yes, like that. None of the friendly peck on the cheek stuff.

I just want to take her in my arms and—” I stopped short and

nodded at a couple who passed by with odd expressions. I waited

for them to get far enough away to continue. “I’m just getting to

know her, but I feel something that I can’t keep denying, and I

can’t just blurt it out to her.”

Fuzzy cocked her head again.

“No, not love, but an attraction that I can barely stand. Do

you think the feelings are so intense because I can’t have her?”

Bingo, dumbass, was Fuzzy’s expression.

“Is that all it is?” I tilted my own head.

You have the patience of a squirrel, Fuzzy seemed to say.

“Hey, you’re not the picture of patience when you want the

ball bounced, either, Ms. Thang.”

Apparently, the mention of the ball was her cue. She picked it

up and dropped it in my lap. “So what am I supposed to do now?”

I asked as I bounced it on the sidewalk.

Fuzzy caught the ball and returned it to me and dropped it in

my hand. You keep playing bal . That solves everything. I heard

that loud and clear.

On the way back home, Fuzzy made it apparent that her

charge for advice was chicken on a stick. She parked her rump

in front of a Chinese restaurant and wouldn’t budge. I looped

her leash around a hydrant and stepped inside to place her order,

keeping a close eye on her through the window.

Fuzzy was in agreement that we should wait to eat until we

got home, though she nuzzled the bag every time she came near.

After she’d taken a drink to clear her palate of the ball, she went

to work on the chicken that I seriously doubted she even chewed.

I sat on the couch with my fried rice, and after she’d finished

her meal, she joined me. “I don’t have Grease or High School

Musical, but I do have Mame with Lucille Ball and Bea Arthur.

Will that suffice?”

Fuzzy wasn’t sure, so I played it anyway. She was asleep

before the movie began, and I was too shortly after. Around

eleven, I heard a soft knock on the door.

Pitifully Ugly

“I’m so sorry to have dumped her on you without any

warning,” Hailey said as she stepped inside. “I was just going to

leave her with the radio on, but she’d been stuck inside for most

of the day, and I was worried she would burn energy by taking

apart the furniture.”

“She was no trouble at all, and I aired her out for you.” I

wanted to be grumpy with her, but she looked so apologetic that it

stole my steam. “We spent a nice afternoon in the park.”

“Can I make it up to you by buying you dinner tomorrow

night?” Hailey asked, looking hopeful.

“That sounds good,” I said around a yawn, trying to appear

casual.

She thanked me again, then ushered Fuzzy into the hall.

Fuzzy shot me a look before I closed the door that said, I won’t

tell her what you said, but you need to get me more chicken.

Robin Alexander

Chapter 13

Fireworks in February.

The following evening, Fuzzy was perched in front of a new

TV and John Travolta was singing about summer lovin’. I think

she winked at me as Hailey closed the door behind us.

Hailey asked me to pick the restaurant, and I decided on

a quiet Italian place a few blocks from our building. I sipped

cabernet, thinking it was a blessing that Fuzzy couldn’t actually

talk, but she’d get more chicken from me anyway.

“What would you suggest?” Hailey asked as she perused the

menu. “I’m not really in the mood for any seafood.”

“Then I’d suggest the lasagna or the spaghetti with meatballs.

Steer clear of the Italian sausage unless your stomach is made of

cast iron.”

Hailey nodded. “Thank you for the warning.”

She decided on the lasagna, and I the spaghetti and meatballs.

We split the portions so we could have both. “So how’d the work

thing go last night?” I asked and wanted to add, and why did you

attend with your ex-husband?

Hailey peered over her wineglass at me. “It was a company

banquet. That’s why Mark was in town. We work for the same

company.”

I raised a brow at the revelation.

Hailey met my gaze head-on. “That’s why I asked for the

transfer. We worked too closely together.”

I was privately pleased with that particular revelation.

Pitifully Ugly

“Did you have a good time?”

Hailey took a sip of her wine and shook her head. “I never

enjoy those things. I see everyone at work enough, and I’m not

fond of the forced socialization. We get a carefully worded memo

every year that basically says be there or else.”

“I’m so thankful that I don’t have to work in a corporation. I

think I’d feel just like you do.”

“How did your date go on Friday?” Hailey asked reluctantly.

“She’s a veterinarian. She specializes in cats, or I’d give you

her number for Fuzzy.”

Hailey pursed her lips. “I have a vet that I’m happy with, but

thanks.” I watched as she twirled pasta onto her fork, then laid it

down. “Did you find the spark you were looking for?” she asked

after taking a healthy swallow of her wine.

“I found a spark.” It wasn’t with Marci, though, but I didn’t

tell her that. Guilt washed over me as she coughed into her napkin

and didn’t meet my gaze.

“Marvin told me you found him,” I said, changing the subject.

Her discomfort was too difficult to watch, and I wasn’t sure how

I was going to go about easing it. “Your hair looks great, by the

way.”“Thank you,” she said with a weak smile. “He took a couple

of inches off and shaped it a bit. I didn’t realize that you were his

boss, though.”

“My sister, Kalen, is more of his boss. She runs the

businesses.”

“Yes, four of them that you own together.” Hailey wiped her

mouth and set her napkin on the table. “You said you were an

accountant.”

I saw where this was going and how easy it was to omit

information that you weren’t ready to share. “I do all the accounting

for our salons, and yes, I’m also a business owner. I didn’t tell you

that upfront because I didn’t want to sound like I was boasting.

It’s pretentious, and I hate it when people do that.”

Hailey nodded. “You’re right, it would’ve sounded boastful,

and I understand why you didn’t tell me. So…when are you going

to see Marci again?”

Robin Alexander

I sighed, weary of playing games. “I’m not. We don’t have

any plans to date.”

Hailey’s brows knitted together. “I thought you said there was

a spark.”

“Not with Marci.” I pushed my plate away and stared at the

wine in my glass. “Mark seems like a really sweet guy.”

Hailey shook her head at the change of topic. “He is. I hope he

meets someone that will cherish him. Mark deserves to be with

someone that will make him happy.”

“So do you,” I said, glancing away. There was warmth in

her voice when she spoke of him that disconcerted me. “Are you

certain that you’re gay?”

Hailey looked taken aback by the question and a tad peeved.

“Positively. You’re not the only one that can appreciate the

warmth and softness of a woman’s skin or the sweetness of her

lips.” She blinked for a moment, we both did, then the look of

annoyance returned to her face. “Are you ready to go? I’m feeling

a bit tired.”

I nearly had to run after her as we left the restaurant. “Did I

piss you off with that question?” I asked after we’d walked two

blocks in silence.

“Yes, you did, Shannon.”

“Why?”

She stalked on without answering.

I caught her by the arm as she unlocked the gate. “Tell me,”

I pleaded.

“I’ve had to answer that question for family and Mark so

many times that I’m so…damn weary.” Her eyes began to water.

“I would’ve never cheated if I’d been straight.” Hailey threw her

arms up, pulling away. “Inside I knew who…what I was, but it

wasn’t until I was married to Mark for a few years that I accepted

it. I thought…” Hailey took a shuddering breath. “If I could just

be with a woman, I could get it out of my system and go on being

what everyone else expected of me. But I was wrong. That first

encounter left me with a hunger that I couldn’t deny no matter

how hard I tried.”

Hailey turned on one heel as a sob escaped her, and she

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Pitifully Ugly

headed for the door. This time, I couldn’t let her just walk away. I