Chapter 101

“Alright, Fresh Cut Gems,” Becca said, flopping down onto the couch next to Gemma. “Are you ready for some heart-to-heart or what?”

It had been half a day since John had left, but Gemma knew she hadn’t dropped her smile all day. Somehow, even knowing that he was off with Sabrina doing God knows what, Gemma couldn’t help but feel lighter than air.

“What’s up?” Gemma sighed, sitting up in her seat and closing her book. All through her time in the US she’d loved going to used bookstores and picking up cheap one and two-dollar paperbacks - the current one she was reading was a super pulpy fantasy from the 1960s.

Becca leaned forward from her seat on the couch. “Look, I know I was pretty casual about it with Charlotte, but you and John- I like the guy, and he passed the cheating test -but you really are falling hard and fast here, girl. And you know you’re leaving in a couple of months. I just don’t want to see you getting hurt right at the end of your stay here.”

“I know,” Gemma sighed. “I know. Seriously, this isn’t what I thought my summer was going to be like. When I first met John at the office, I thought maybe he’d be a fun fling at some point late in the summer. A last hoorah one-nighter or something.”

“So what honestly happened?” Becca asked. “Because what I’m seeing between you two definitely isn’t that. I could tell just that night he came with McDonald’s for us. He booty called you like he was an UberEats driver, not a fuck buddy.”

“Nothing happened,” Gemma waved her off. “We’re just a comfortable fit for each other.”

Becca gave Gemma a levelled gaze that screamed, ‘Yea, OK’ in the most sarcastic non-voice possible.

“Fine, something sort of happened,” Gemma relented. “It’s kind of a romantic triangle situation, but weird, and that was the catalyst. But seriously, before this week, everything was just good vibes with John. He has good banter and can keep up with my teasing, and he’s as ambitious as I am with his career goals. And he’s just - he’s very good at listening when he’s tuned in to me.”

“And?” Becca asked. “Can he back it up with chemistry?”

Gemma laughed. “You mean the sex?”

“Uh, yeah, obviously,” Becca said.

“He blows my fucking world,” Gemma said. “Best I’ve ever had, hands down, no contest.”

“OK, OK,” Becca said. “But there’s a big question that you need to be able to talk about without it ruining everything.”

“Fine, shoot,” Gemma said.

“What’s the downside?” Becca asked. “The thing that’s making you think, ‘Fuck, I don’t know if this is worth it.’ And don’t try to lie and say he’s perfect, no one is perfect. I just don’t want you falling into some blind trap without being realistic.”