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Lydia was not a drinker Which one out and had thiswas off in her world She hadn’t felt a co back that last Cosreat travesty that she had to fight seemed so barbaric and beastly of her The steady, painful thru in her neck and head was an all too visceral reminder that, for whatever reason, Matt Jones made her act like a completely different person

It was like she o different people

Why hadn’t he slept with her? He could have She illing Even through the haze of alcohol it wasn’t a desire driven solely from a bottle Inhibitions were down, her libido was up, she could feel – literally – his ht her home, tucked her into bed, and left? Lydia remembered the feel of his soft lips on her te cared for by soated to do so Nobody had tucked her in like that since she hadaway over her

It felt good It felt tender and nuanced Matt wasn’t just souy that she could play with or learn fro more here, and the fact that he had the decency not to take advantage of her h, was that she actually had to get to work in order to see hi up Any other day, that would be no problem, the action involuntary, so quick and siht nohat normally was a nanosecond of effort had 921 separate and distinct steps involved inher a total of two to three feet vertically

She reached for her phone, which she noted had been neatly placed on her bedside table, and took the easy way out Autodialing Krysta’s nus and –

"‘Lo?"

"Did I catch you asleep again?"

"Well, it’s 6:30 in the , Lydia"

"Can you co a little unwell?" The teasing tone of Krysta’s voice told Lydia that yep – it really had been that bad last night She had to ask, though

"That bad?"

"After you serviced three guys on the bar all at once – don’t worry, I’irl, two bartenders"

"Ha ha" Lydia's head started to explode as she actually spoke the words aloud, pushing aside the cotton balls with a tongue that felt like it had last been kissed by Jabba the Hut

"You were fine, but I assuentle my panties"

"Good Because really he should only have one pair, not two"

Lydia was really regretting telling Krysta the elevator story "Yeah That’s right," was all she could think to say

"You want me to come over there and make coffee and take care of you, don't you?" Krysta’s voice was flat, not rude, not disappointed Just stating the obvious

"Mh that when she actually spoke, pain gained ht do better

"You can’t even talk, can you?"

"Mmn mmn"

"I’ll be over in fifteen minutes but you’d better have soonna have to shower"

"Mmm" The sound she made was one that connoted ‘not sure’

"Oh, Christ, Lydia I’ll be there soon" Click

Luckily Krysta hadn’t said the one thing that Lydia feared hearing the most You need to call your mother

"What would Sandy do?" sheherself to stop doing this What would Sandy do? Well Sandy, she guessed, would never have left Maine in the first place She didn’t understand it Grandma stayed in Boston – loved it in fact – and was just as stubborn aslife decisions Lydia sure understood that

Sandy had been devastated that Lydia didn’t stay in Maine with her brothers but she had no real future there Not quite That wasn’t really true It wasn't that she had no future there, it was that she had Sandy and Pete’s future there What they wanted How they envisioned life for their kids And her brothers all loved it, except for one

She pushed the thought away She couldn’t think about Luke right now But she was the one who got away, and the only one not living there now She was only four hours from home and Grandma lived in the same city So, as their problem? Why couldn't Sandy just be happy for her?

If she called Moot drunk and made out with my boss, and by the way, it’s the third time and he hasoff her tongue, Lydia tried to fathoine what her mother would think and do if she were Lydia It didn't compute She couldn't ask herself ould Sandy do? because Sandy would never have done any of this A smile cracked the cotton balls in Lydia’s mouth

That’s why she was here Because, when she asked herself that question, ould Sandy do? the ansas Sandy would never find herself in this position Lydia did, and this was Lydia’s life to live But if Krysta didn’t hurry up, Lydia was going to die from caffeine deprivation