In this excerpt from I.O.U. Sex, June has decided to take the plunge and meet her former steady, Denny, face-to-face by going to his place of business to surprise him. But first she has to prepare….
Showered, buffed, and lotioned, June spritzed perfume over her naked body. I'll wear my most expensive lace bra and panties, she thought, though no one but me will know. They'll give me confidence. She took extra time with her hair, sweeping it behind her ears the way Denny used to like it. Her ex-husband Stan said older women shouldn't wear their hair long, but she still thought shoulder length suited her best. She rejected Stan’s opinion as just one more of his many chauvinistic ideas and wondered why she'd tolerated him as long as she had. The day she and Stan parted, she'd decided to let her hair grow long again, her first act of defiance in years. She leaned in for a closer look in the mirror, pleased that her blonde highlights covered most of her gray.
June went to the closet, wondering what a woman should wear to have her car serviced by an old boyfriend. The thought made her laugh.
That's not something you'd read about in Emily Post.
After trying on and discarding four outfits, she settled on a short denim skirt and a cotton-candy pink T-shirt. Why not accentuate the positive? Her legs were chemically tanned and firm from years of aerobics, and Denny had always liked her in pink. She added silver hoops to her ears and straightened her shoulders for a last look in the mirror. She turned sideways, patting her not-so-flat stomach, frowning at her not-so-perky breasts.
Stan's criticisms nagged: Is that cellulite on the back of your thighs?
Now she answered him in words she'd never spoken aloud. "Shut up, and get out of my mind. I may not be perfect, but for a woman my age, I look pretty damned good."
Then another worry surfaced. What exactly would she say to Denny?
"Hi, it's me. June. I'm a part-time writer, the mother of a grown son, and the survivor of a nasty divorce. Oh, and by the way, I’ve made a pact with Kiki and Peggy, and I’m here to offer you the very thing I wouldn’t do in high school. What’s new with you?”
She decided not to over-think their meeting but to play it by ear instead. After all, this was just an oil change. No big deal.
Yeah. Right.
She grabbed her purse, took a deep breath, and locked the door behind her.
Will June go forward and actually meet with Denny or will she chicken out at the last minute? And what will his reaction be? We’ll continue with June’s story in the weeks to come. Thanks for visiting our Sweet Saturday Sample!
[Note: The foregoing excerpt has been edited to maintain a PG-13 rating.]
Illustration source: "Woman looking at her reflection in mirror," (1918) by Frederic Dorr Steele. From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
[Note: The foregoing excerpt has been edited to maintain a PG-13 rating.]
Illustration source: "Woman looking at her reflection in mirror," (1918) by Frederic Dorr Steele. From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
I have so done the "wear pretty underwear to boost your confidence" ploy. And it does work! I think June wants to see Denny enough that she'll go through with it. :) Maybe someone will see that lacy underwear after all. :) Great sample.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you could relate to this excerpt. I have some special earrings I wear to remind myself that I can do anything I set my mind to.
DeleteI love how you let the reader in to see her insecurities. And the "getcha some" twist at the end is priceless!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Our characters definitely have flaws.
DeleteJane is a super character. It's wonderful to watch her grow.
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed writing June's story.
DeleteI love the internal dialogue
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. I'd be a nervous wreck if I were going to meet an old boyfriend, wouldn't you?
DeleteGreat excerpt. I'm dying to know how it's going to turn out with Denny. She has to meet with him. You sucked me right into the story. Well done!
ReplyDeleteMore next week ....
DeleteI love June's character, and the thought process she's going through.
ReplyDeleteMeeting an old boyfriend after so many years is a scary proposition! June's doing her best to keep up her courage.
DeleteNice emotions here - intriguing!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad June's emotions came through as we intended.
DeleteI think the way you draw out June's insecurities makes her so relateable. Great sample.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you could relate. I imagine any woman would be nervous under those circumstances, and I'm glad we showed that.
DeleteI certainly hope she does!! She makes for a wonderful heroine. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteWe like June too. In fact, all the women in I.O.U. Sex became like friends to us.
Delete"I’m here to offer you the very thing I wouldn’t do in high school." - Tension rising...
ReplyDeleteIn an attempt at full disclosure, I must admit that we sanitized what June actually said so that we could maintain the required PG-13 rating for this posting. Not that it was so bad, but we didn't want to offend anyone. The end result is the same, regardless of what words we used.
Delete