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I look up from my beer. I don’t answer because we both know the answer.

“And don’t beat yourself up if you don’t know what you want,” Roxie continues. “Plenty of people live on autopilot. Some of them, most of their lives. Imagine you’ve married that guy, Jake. And then, twenty years down the road, you wake up and look back at your life and realize it was not what you wanted, but now you’re trapped and have kids and a mortgage, and your parents are old and sick and you have to take care of them...”

“Jesus.” I swallow hard. “This sounds horrifying.”

“But it could’ve totally happened, right? Given how you feel right now, it likely would’ve happened. So it’s much better that you have the chance to figure out what you want now. No one depends on you. Your parents are still young. It’s okay to live your life. You don’t really owe anyone anything.”

I chuckle. “So you’re saying I should relax?”

Roxie nods. “I am saying you should relax and enjoy yourself. You’re young and hot and in a new city, and hopefully about to get a really good job.”

I smile. “I hope you’re right.”

“So, are you in the mood to hook up with some guys, now that you’re single? Those two in the corner have been glancing this way for the past half hour.”

We both look toward the dudes. They are okay looking, but nothing special. One of them raises his beer in salutation and Roxie raises her beer back.

“Do you like that guy?” I ask her.

“Not particularly, but he’s not going to bite. If he comes over to talk, we’ll talk. It’s no big deal.”

“You’re something else,” I say. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman like you.”

She laughs. “I’m not all that, I promise. But I like my life and I’m not afraid of men.”

This definitely hurts my feelings. “I’m not afraid of men,” I pout.

Roxie chuckles. “I know. That’s not what I meant. I meant I’m not afraid of casually interacting with men. They’re people, like us. They get lonely and horny and sad and angry. And interacting with us is no picnic for them. They are expected to approach, and we can be intimidating. So I have empathy.”

“Aren’t you afraid you’d get hurt?”

“Not really. I keep it casual. That way everyone knows where they stand.”

“What about love?”

“What about it?”

“Have you ever been in love?”

“Nope. Thank God. You?”

“I was sure I was. With Jake. But I’m not so sure anymore.”

“Well, maybe you were. I don’t think there’s, like, a universal type of love. It’s probably different toward different people. Or we feel it differently at different times of our lives.”

“You’re dropping wisdom upon wisdom on me here, Roxie. I don’t think I can keep up.”

She laughs. “Sorry, I don’t usually get to act like I’ve got the answers to questions of life. Most people I know would say my personal life is a mess.”

“Who are those people and do I need to kick their ass?”

Roxie’s lips stretch into a wide grin. “We are going to be the best of friends, I just know it.”

“That would ... not suck.”

Still smiling, she shakes her head. “Okay, then. So, do you like either of those two guys?”

“Not really.”