Dirty B’s and a Thousand Words

If it wasn’t for these dirty bitches, I don’t know how I’d make it through the week. I’d probably end up one of those lonely, drunk ladies who has way too many cats and an impressive collection of yarn.

“Hey, Lil, can you flip the open sign off for me?” Tasia asks as she stumbles into the reading alcove of her bookstore with two dark brown folding chairs tucked under her arms. They almost look like extensions of her body since the color is nearly a perfect match to her beautifully dark skin.

Beside me, Anna calmly sets her phone in her lap, then pushes her large-framed glasses up her face. Without missing a beat, she raises her right hand and flips the bird toward the front of the building. “Got it.”

Tasia’s expression deadpans. “Hilarious, Chang. Ever think of going into comedy?”

“I aim to please,” Anna retorts with the kind of straight face only she can manage. Maybe it’s her Korean roots showing. Or a prerequisite of being a female computer programmer. Pretty sure those ladies major in ’Smart Ass.’

Trying to hide my smirk, I push off the small purple loveseat and stand up. “On it.”

Tasia’s dark eyes sparkle as she beams her giant smile at me and sets the first chair out. Then she turns to Anna and says,“See, that’s why she’s my BFF.”

“Kiss ass,” Anna says, pretending to sneeze as she picks her phone back up.

I laugh under my breath and weave through the bookshelves toward the front of the store.

So far, only three of us are on time—myself, Tasia, and Anna. We’re waiting on Vivian, who’s notoriously late, but for some reason, it would be weird if she wasn’t.

The Dirty B’s have been meeting every Thursday night in the back of Tasia’s adult bookstore for the past three years. In that time, the four of us have built something I hadn’t realized I was missing in my life.

Friendship.

Camaraderie.

Hell, a fun group of women who like to sit around, drink wine, and talk about dirty books in a bookstore with more than enough reading material. Best of all, they don’t care about what kinds of books I read, the ones I won’t touch, or…how I look.

That last piece has been a blessing.

It’s not always easy finding friends who can look past the slightly odd shape of my nose and the scar that tears its way from my upper lip to my left nostril.

Hell, not even my husband can seem to do that.

So, yeah, it’s been nice to be around people who see me for me and not my birth deformity.

Truth be told, it’s been eighteen years since the last time I felt like I was really seen for who I am. Back when my best childhood friend, London, was still around. I still can’t believe his parents forced him to move to Colorado. But that’s the way life goes, right?

I walk over to the front door and flip the switch on the open sign. It goes dark just as the door lets out a shrill ding, announcing a newcomer.

Vivian waltzes in with a brown paper bag in her arms and a smile on her face. Her bleach blond hair is up in a messy high ponytail and she’s clad in bright pink yoga pants, paired with a black crop top that shows off her ample cleavage and midriff.

I’d be jealous of her annoyingly perky body if I didn’t know the woman it was actually attached to. I’ll keep my average weight and height, thank you very much.

“Hey, Flower,” she says with a quick wave of her free hand. She’s the only one who thinks calling me Flower makes more sense than Lily.

“Hey Viv. We’re just about to get started,” I say, jabbing my left index finger toward the back of the store. “Was it your week to bring the wine?”

“Yup,” She nods and glances into the bag like she’s surprised it’s still in there. “Sorry I’m late. I was sucking Jordan off before he left for Tahoe and the man has stamina. But I had to leave him with an impression, if you know what I mean.” She winks at me and wipes at the corner of her mouth with the tip of her middle finger like she’s cleaning up whatever he left behind.

My face heats and I suck in a quick breath.

With Viv, you never know if she’s serious or just saying something for shock value. However, the way her hair is slightly disheveled leaves me envisioning her boyfriend’s hands groping at it as he thrusts…

Fuck me.

I press a knuckle to my right eye-socket.

She chuckles and continues through the store without elaborating further—thank god.

It’s been two months since Seth and I had sex and it’s starting to do weird things to my brain.

Shaking it off, I walk back to the alcove to find Vivian in my seat. Anna locks eyes with me and slowly rolls them.

Instead of fighting it, I grab the vacant fold out chair and pull it closer to the coffee table between us.

“I have glasses, ladies,” Tasia says as she enters from the backroom with four wine glasses poking through her splayed fingers.

Other than talking about dirty books and the book boyfriends we’d love to bang, drinking wine and chilling with these ladies is a highlight for all of us. There’s not judgement and no shame. Only fits of giggles and the occasional drunk butt dial.

Tasia gives Vivian a once-over, then shifts her gaze to me.

I can tell she’s wanting permission to kick Viv out of my spot, but she also knows how much I hate that kind of confrontation.

I shake my head and shrug. It’s really not a big deal.

She huffs a sigh and sets the glasses down on the table. “I really need to get a couple of recliners in here. My ass is getting too old to sit on aluminum for hours.”