Page 37 of September

“Boob girl?”

“Definitely,” Gwen said with a nod. “And I should stop looking at them now becauseyoumight consider that sexual harassment.” Gwen met her eyes again and added, “Look at my amazing self-control as I only look at your eyes and not the breasts that I can totally see all of through that very white tank top you wore for our FaceTime call.”

“Hey, I didn’t know we were going to FaceTime. You weren’t even at my place when this conversation started,” she argued playfully and crossed an arm over her chest.

“So, it’smyfault that you don’t have any shirts that hide your boobs?”

“Hey, I do.” Juliet laughed.

“And it’s my fault that you don’t own a bra, either?”

“I own many bras, thank you very much. You’ve just seen me in my most relaxed state, when I’m braless and chill.”

“Is that like Netflix and chill?” Gwen asked.

“It is for a lot of women, I’d imagine,” Juliet said.

Carly barked, and Gwen turned the phone back toward her. Juliet was always happy to see her dog, but she did miss Gwen’s eyes looking back at her while the phone was aimed at her very impatient terrier.

“She needs to go out.”

“Oh, okay,” Juliet said. “I can let you go.”

“Or, you can walk with us.”

“Walk with you?”

“I can call you once I have her on the leash. I’m going to walk her here before we get in the car because I don’t want anyone peeing in my car, Carly.”

Carly barked again as if she might just do that if Gwen didn’t get her outside right at that moment.

“You can walk with us and, I don’t know, tell me about your day or something. If you want to. I don’t imagine you haveanyone there to tell, and I know how lonely business travel can be.”

“Done a lot of that?” she asked.

“No, but my family is all about ambition and drive and money, sotheyhave, and I’ve talked to some of them about it. Sometimes, on purpose. Other times, reluctantly,” Gwen replied.

Juliet then watched as Gwen rose and walked, with the phone aimed at her face, toward the front of the apartment. Juliet heard Carly’s paws on the hardwood and knew she was following Gwen to get her leash on.

“You don’t have to talk to me,” Juliet suggested just to give her an out, even though hanging up was the last thingshewanted to do.

“I want to,” Gwen replied before she connected Carly’s leash. “Give me five, and I’ll call you back, okay?”

“Call or FaceTime?”

“Why? Are you planning on getting naked next?”

Juliet laughed and said, “No, but I want to finish eating my dinner, and it’s messy food.”

“Well, now I’m tempted to stay on camera just so I can watch that.”

“It’s why I’m in this tank top in the first place: I had a T-shirt on, but I got cheese all over it, so I changed.”

“Messy and cheesy? Sounds delicious.”

“It is so far.”

“Do you want me to not call you so that you can finish eating?”