“Are you teaching this summer, Jane?” Molly asked.

She shook her head. “Will wants to take a vacation with the kids, so I opted out. It’ll be nice to have the time off.”

“How about you, Chelsea?”

“I’m not certain yet. They had another math teacher lined up, but he might need surgery. I told them I’d fill in if necessary. It’s not like I have any big plans this summer.”

“Not even with Bash?” Sam asked, smiling at her over the rim of her wineglass.

She had known the question was coming. “Especially not with Bash.”

“So he was lousy in the sack?” Megan asked. “That must have been disappointing.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“What are you saying, then?” Emma asked.

“Nothing yet.”

Everyone went quiet. And stared, obviously waiting for the lowdown on her weekend with Bash.

“Fine. We had sex.”

“Woo!” Megan shouted. “I knew it. You always answer my texts right away, and when you didn’t, I knew it was because you were with Bash.”

She lifted her chin. “It could have been another guy.”

“Really. What guy?”

“I don’t know. Someone else.”

“Is there someone else?” Samantha asked.

“Well, no. But there could be. There will be someday.”

“Which means what, exactly?” Molly asked. “You and Bash didn’t hit it off?”

She took a deep breath, then let it out. “It was fine.”

Megan pinned her with a glare. “Fine is the word men use when they don’t want to say, ‘Yes, that dress does make your butt look big.’ Women should never use the word fine.”

She deserved this for butting in on all her friends’ lives over the years. Now they were exacting revenge by butting in on hers. “Okay, it was awesome. He was amazing, and it was the best sex I’ve ever had.”

Emma grinned. “Now you’re talking. When are you seeing him again?”

“I’m not. We’re not dating, Em. We’re just friends.”

“With benefits, now,” Jane added. “Your weekend of awesome sex changed things between you, right?”

“No. It scratched an itch, that’s all.”

“Seriously?” Samantha arched a brow. “That sounds like a line a guy would use. You’re the one who wants a relationship, Chelsea.”

She had no idea how to explain this. Mainly because she didn’t know how she felt. Nothing had changed between her and Bash.

Right? She’d made it clear to him. She didn’t want things to change. They’d always been friends, and she didn’t want to lose that.

“I do want a relationship. Just not with Bash.”

“What’s wrong with Bash?” Molly asked. “He has a great job, he owns a house, and he has the cutest dog ever.”

“Hey,” Emma said, resting one hand on Daisy the Labrador’s head, the other on Annie the pit bull’s. “I can’t believe you said that in front of my dogs. And you’re my sister. Talk about sticking the knife in deep.”

Molly laughed. “Your dogs are my family. I wasn’t referring to them. I was talking about one very hot guy and his adorable Chihuahua.”

“Okay, then. But back to you, Chelsea. You seriously think nothing will change between the two of you? And you felt nothing for him?”

She’d be lying if she said otherwise. “Of course I did. We had fun together. Bash is a great guy. A decent guy. And so incredibly sexy.”

“But …” Samantha said for her.

“But, there’s my list.”

Jane sighed. “Yes, your list.”

These were her friends and she knew they all loved her. If they couldn’t understand how important her list was, she’d just have to keep reminding them. “I made that list for a reason.”

Emma squeezed her hand. “We all know you did. But you might be missing out on the right guy for you because of it. Maybe you’re being a little too rigid in your thinking?”

She shrugged. “I don’t think so. I’m sticking to my guns on this. Bash and I both agreed it was just sex, and nothing was going to happen otherwise.”

Fortunately, they didn’t press her further, and the topic changed, for which Chelsea was grateful. They spent the rest of the evening catching up on one another’s lives. Chelsea left around eleven, but she wasn’t tired or ready to go home.

For some reason, she found herself in the parking lot of the No Hope at All bar—again—wondering what in the world she was doing there. For a fraction of a second she pondered pulling out of the lot and going home. But she always listened to her instincts, and something told her she should be there. So now that she’d parked her car, she might as well go in.

No Hope was crowded, of course, because it was a Friday night. She didn’t want to sit at a table by herself, so she headed to the bar. There was a single open spot at one of the corners. She sat and tossed her purse on the bar. Bash was busy at the other end, so it gave her a few minutes to watch him. Tonight he wore worn, loose-fit jeans and a dark green T-shirt that fit him so well it made all her feminine parts clench in appreciation, especially now that she’d seen him naked and knew just how good he looked without the shirt. And without the jeans.

Get a grip, Chelsea. Not happening again.