“Yeah, it really is. I have a thing ... I don’t ovulate regularly anyway. My last period was ages ago, and I doubt I ovulated this late.”
“That’s called PCOS, isn’t it?”
She blinked. “You know the term?”
“Yeah, my mom has it. It’s why she only had me, actually. It was hard enough doing that.”
“Then we’re lucky, I guess. This might be the first time I’m saying this, but thank God I have PCOS.”
“Yeah, and that I pulled out.”
“It’ll be fine.” She waved it off. “Or it will beafterI clean up.”
She was gone in an instant, and I immediately missed her warmth.
I didn’t need to. What was I going to do, ask her out? After I’d acted like an idiot and didn’t use a condom?
“I should go,” I said.
She eyed my stomach, which still had come on it. “You can stay for?—”
“No, I should really go.” I threw my shirt on. I was too numb to feel anything else. “This was ... yeah. Goodbye.”
“Bye,” she said quietly as I threw my pants on and ran for the door.
But this was for the best. I would never see her again and life would go on. I would find someone else and resume being the fun guy. That’s what I was supposed to do, after all.
This was the first time I ever wished things were different.
5
GRACE
THREE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Kerry Winsor:When is the power coming back on? I’m so bored.
Comments:
Jade Clark:We didn’t do enough. She can still post.
Marjorie Brown:Dammit, there goes my quiet time.
Kerry Winsor:Do you really think I don’t have cell service out at my house? I refuse to be silenced!!!
Jade Clark:How much battery does that thing have left and are you on the roof of your house to get signal? Be honest.
Kerry Winsor:5% and shut up.
SherriffMike Finch:@Kerry Winsor, get your ass down before I call the fire department.
I wasflat down on my bed, fighting for my life.
“Just ... fuckingbutton.” My favorite leopard print pantswere up on my waist, but for some reason, they were tighter than usual. I was used to my weight fluctuating because of PCOS, but I refused to lose my favorite pants because of it.
My period was going to start any day now. It was very late, but I’d had a small one after Dean and my ... mishap that told me I was safe. Then I moved on, trying to forget about the sex that had changed my life.