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“I love you,” William replied, “but I’m going to cut right to the chase. I need an Operation Gandalf on Wednesday.”

Vanessa put the phone on speaker mode so she could dress while talking.

“Again?” she asked, pulling a Space: 1999 t-shirt off a hanger.

William was Vanessa’s closest friend on the planet. They had met in college in L.A. and had been inseparable since freshman orientation. After college, they both moved south to Oceanside, living together for two years before Vanessa decided to buy her own place in neighboring Carlsbad.

In that freshman year of college, Vanessa came out to William the day before she did to her parents. At the moment, she had expected William to also come out to her, because it had been fairly obvious to Vanessa that her best friend was gay within an hour of first meeting him; but he didn’t, and she didn’t press. He finally did come out to her when school resumed the next year.

But he never came out to his parents or anyone else in his family. He tearfully had told her once that it would be too much. His parents, his brothers, his uncles, basically everyone important to him were extremely, extremely traditional and conservative when it came to gender roles and sexual identity. Coming out to even one person in his tightknit family would basically cause him to be shunned. Thus, Operation Gandalf, their name for when Vanessa was William’s beard.

“I know, it’s stupid,” William said, “I don’t know why they’re visiting so much! They keep saying it’s just because they miss me but then they keep asking me about housing prices and what the good neighborhoods in Oceanside are! I think they’re planning on moving here!”

Vanessa pulled on a comfy pair of shorts and huffed loud enough for William to hear.

“If they do move here, you’re gonna have to find yourself another beard, William. I’m serious.”

“I don’t even want to think about it!”

“Well,” she said, “if it’s Wednesday you need me, you’re going to have to wait until I close the shop.”

“That’s fine,” William said. “Gotta go! Loves and kisses! And thanks!”

***

At 10:30, Vanessa was trying to read a magazine in her living room but not really succeeding because her anticipation wouldn’t allow her to concentrate.

It was annoying, really.

This isn’t a date!

Yet here she was, unable to focus on the content of a silly fashion magazine because her anticipation was making her mind incapable of processing information.

Her phone chirped. A text from Megan.

Tick-tock! Ninety minutes and counting…

Vanessa smiled and tapped out a reply.

89 by the time you get this…

Megan’s reply came almost instantly in the form of six straight smiley face emojis.

They had agreed that they would meet at noon at Magee Park, which was in downtown Carlsbad, just a block from the beach. She thought Megan’s idea of a stroll along the seawall and then stopping for ice cream was a good one. The problem now was waiting ninety minutes. Well, eighty-eight or so…

Her phone pinged again. Another text from Megan.

So, listen…how about we meet at my place, maybe have a glass of wine and then drive to the beach together?

Vanessa’s eyebrows shot up and she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Her insides got warm.

That sounds great! I never say no to a glass of wine.

The next message from Megan contained her address. Vanessa took a deep breath and suddenly decided she wanted to change her plans for getting ready and she quickly g

ot up off the couch and speed-walked to her bedroom.

She had had a super casual outfit already chosen and laid out on the bed: stretch denim skinny jeans with frayed cuffs and a grey tank top. She had figured she’d complete the look with some slip-on Skechers. It was an outfit perfect for a couple of hours hanging out with someone by the beach. But now, Vanessa wanted to change tactics. She’d keep the grey tank (she knew she looked awesome in it) but the skinny jeans were out. Instead, she located one of her favorite black midi skirts in her closet and tossed that on the bed. She also decided that the Skechers would be replaced with an adorable pair of black ballerina flats that had elastic straps which crossed at her ankles. It was still a casual-look outfit perfect for taking a long walk by the shore, but it had that little something extra Vanessa wanted.