Cole was busy pulling containers from the bag, inspecting each as he set them on the stage. I twisted the locknut onto the cable clamp in the box I was finishing before the aroma called me to join him. He grabbed a chicken dish and poured half the container onto his plate. Natalie elbowed him and salvaged some for herself and Lena. I went for the stir-fry veggies, noodles, and rice before Cole could wipe those out, too. We’d worked out a fair system with the food we shared at home, but sometimes their appetites got the better of us all and we had to shop more often. I didn’t mind, especially since they put in twice as much as I did for the grocery tab.
Halfway through dinner, the auditorium doors opened. Vivian, Molly, and Glory walked in chatting happily. Natalie mentioned having evenings plans, so I figured they were here to pull her away. She’d put in a full day at Vivian’s house, unlike Cole and me, and deserved some free time tonight.
“Tamiko’s?” Molly called out as she walked down the aisle, her eyes sparkling.
“Yep,” Cole said through a mouthful of noodles.
“There’s extra,” Lena told her.
“Score! Hand it over,” Molly said.
“We just came from dinner, Mol.” Vivian shot her a disbelieving look.
“I’ve always got room for Tamiko’s.” The way she said it made it sound like it was a restaurant in town. She grabbed a tempura zucchini and chomped on it happily, taking the space on the edge of the stage next to me. “How’s your stomach?”
I swallowed a forkful of rice and grimaced. “Fine.”
The rafting trip last weekend had been a lot hairier than I anticipated. I’d nearly been pitched out twice from mistakes the new guides made. The experience was enough to make me queasy. Molly tried to assure me that it wouldn’t be that scary the next time I went, but it was good that the mistakes occurred while she could correct them.
“I’m not fine,” Glory told her. She’d sat opposite me and went through the same hairy experience. “Ron’s not actually hiring those guys is he?”
“Wayne and I have to ride with them their first few times. If they don’t improve, Ron will have to find others.”
“He must be desperate for guides if he thinks those two are anything like you and Wayne.”
“Summer help is always spotty.” Molly shrugged not bothered by what could mean a more rigorous work schedule. I knew how she felt. Whenever a boss added extra crew to get a job done, it seemed like my workload doubled trying to help them or fix their mistakes.
“Maybe I should run a spreadsheet for him to show the benefit of not hiring incompetents.” Glory smiled brightly.
Everyone laughed at the idea that a spreadsheet could be as convincing as she thought it would be. Apparently she was very good at her accounting job, but it would take a pretty sexy spreadsheet to make a business owner walk away from potential business.
“When are you done here?” Molly asked me as the others started talking about the movie they were going to see later.
“We’ve got another three days at least.”
“Then you’ll be back on regular hours?”
“Should be. This was a special deal.” Cole and I were starting our work days after school let out and working until midnight. The schedule took a day to get used to, but I didn’t mind the odd hours.
Molly nodded, finishing a gyoza dunked in teriyaki sauce. “I’m taking groups out almost every evening for hikes or biking the trails if you ever want to join us. In the summer, it’s the only way I get to see my friends sometimes since I work day and evening tours on weekends. My boss doesn’t mind unless it’s a private booking. Lena, her friend Kirsten, and Glory’s business partner Brooke join me a lot. Some of the others you met last time come occasionally, but you seemed like you really enjoyed the ride. You’d probably like everything else we do, and it’s a great way to learn the trails around here.”
The offer felt good, like so many other things since moving here. Molly was a comfortable person to be around and liked being outdoors. Even when I felt like I’d been flush with friends back in Boulder, I didn’t have anyone who enjoyed outdoor recreation as much as I did. Based on the biking tour Molly led, I got the impression that no one else in the group was like that either. I’d have to take her up on her offer. She was cool enough that I didn’t feel like I needed Natalie as a buffer anymore.
The backpack was starting to get heavy. How did Molly manage this with so much ease every day? Not only that, she was now carrying Tessa’s backpack as well. I didn’t know what the tiny blonde was thinking, showing up with a backpack the size of a small bear, but she’d hauled it up the mountain okay. It was the last part of the downhill trek where she’d run out of steam.
“How long are you in town?” one of Molly’s tourists asked Joanna.
Brandy snickered beside me. Molly hadn’t told us to lie to the people taking her tour, but Joanna and Brandy seemed to relish playing someone they weren’t. They’d made up some story about getting in one last spring ski run before jetting off to their homes in the Riviera. Honestly. The Riviera. And neither of them had accents.
When Molly called at lunch to see if I wanted to round out her small tour group this evening, I jumped at the offer. Curtis and Luis bummed invitations when they heard me talking to Molly. As casual as she was with allowing them to join in, I was still surprised to see Joanna, Brandy, Tessa, and Dwight loading into the van when we arrived at the shop. Molly’s friends outnumbered the tour group seven to three.
I packed a few water bottles and the first aid kit into my backpack to help ease Molly’s usual load. She said no one ever brought enough water, and she was required to bring a pretty involved first aid kit every time. At only half her normal load, my backpack with the snacks and extra sweatshirt I’d packed weighed almost as much as my new toolbox. It prompted a more thorough perusal of her figure. Her calves and thighs were well defined and her ass was a thing of beauty, both for its musculature and shape. I had no doubt under the polo she had a powerful back and visible abs. When she’d hefted Tessa’s backpack onto one shoulder, I had a moment’s pause, wondering why I’d never gone for a woman with her build before.
“Just the week,” Joanna was telling the flirtatious woman. Her hand with its outrageously colored manicure gripped the woman’s forearm as if she needed help walking down the trail. “How about you? If you’re staying the night, we should grab a drink. I know all the local hotspots that tour books don’t tell you about.”
Considering the woman had started her flirtatious ways with Luis, I wouldn’t have guessed she’d be interested. But apparently, Joanna and Brandy didn’t let a thing like sexual preference bother them.
Brandy didn’t try to hide her amused snort this time. The dark red manicure on her nails didn’t match her skimpy halter top or tiny shorts, but it was starting to resemble the color of her skin at the base of her neck and tops of her thighs where the breeze attacked. Even in May, the evening air could grow chilly. She had to know that being a local, but she’d forsaken warmth for sex appeal. That had never been my thing. Sure, I was in shorts, but they were much longer and I was in layers on top with a backup sweatshirt. Of course, I wasn’t trying to seduce one of Molly’s tourists. Or one of her friends.
Her painted fingernails rubbed down my arm. “Looks like Jo’s going to be busy tonight. I’ll have the apartment all to myself. Want to keep me company?”
Molly’s head turned to cut a look at Brandy and me. Her lips pursed, holding back a smile. I joined in her amusement. This was the third time Brandy tried to sound casual in her invitations for sex with me. Joanna offered twice before I’d even gotten into the van tonight.
I gave Brandy another once over. Her blond hair was twisted into some fancy style that kept it off her face and neck. Before getting involved with my ex-girlfriend, I would have gone for her in a second. Boulder was big enough for casual hookups. Aspen really wasn’t without making sure the casual nature of the relationship was reciprocal. I knew Brandy wanted casual, and it was tempting, but I trusted Molly’s judgment more than I wanted casual sex with a beautiful woman who could turn crazy.
“Can’t, thanks. Early morning.”
Her hand gripped my elbow as she fluttered her eyelashes at me. She stumbled when she realized it wasn’t a good idea not to pay attention while traversing rough terrain. “C’mon, Falyn. We’re only here for a week, remember?” She grinned, reminding me of the lie she and Joanna had told to the tourist lady.
I shook my head, hopefully putting an end to her pressure tonight. My eyes shot to Tessa, worried that Brandy may now make a play for her. I didn’t want to inadvertently screw up Molly’s deal. Tessa glanced back at me, a smile on her face. Didn’t look like I needed to worry. Joanna and Brandy’s antics must be well known to every lesbian in town.
When Brandy slipped back to double team the single tourist, Dwight sidled up next to me. “Good call, lady.”
I shrugged because I wasn’t entirely sure I could keep putting either of them off. It had been seven months for me, and these two were hot and ready.
“Chances are high that Jo would come home at the worst possible moment and get pissy with Brandy.”
“Seriously?” I laughed. It didn’t matter if they were hot and easy. Best just to avoid spectacles like that.
“Seriously. Wait for the softball league in Glenwood Springs to start. Your prospects will increase tenfold.”
That sounded promising and smart, but damn Brandy had all the right curves and it had been a long time. Better not, though. At least not tonight.
“You play?” Molly asked, taking up my other side. In her professional capacity she proved informative, encouraging, and entertaining. The whole trek up she’d given the three tourists as much attention as they wanted without becoming obnoxious about the activity or the area. I’d learned a lot about the town, the resorts, and what to look out for while hiking in the area.
“Not recently.” Or in years. It wasn’t like softball was added to the prison activity schedule each spring.
“It’s mostly for fun. I’ll tell our coach if you’re interested.”
Softball, women watching, beers after the games, yet another aspect of my old life falling into place. Even when I had my girlfriend, I never missed a Sunday game. With Molly on the team, it might be a lot of fun. It was plain to see why Vivian considered her such a good friend. She could easily become that for me.
“Yeah, why not?” I felt the enthusiasm I used to feel starting to come back to me. Why not indeed. How my life had changed in the space of a month. And all for the better.
Molly’s sofa was really comfortable. Any sofa would be comfortable considering I rarely got to sit on the one at home because the boys were always lounging on it playing video games. But Molly’s was especially comfortable. Suede or microfiber, whatever the material, it cradled every part of me.
“Water or coffee?” Molly called out from the kitchen.
I pushed deeper into the formfitting cushions and propped my overworked feet up on the ottoman. They throbbed a little from the hike today because Molly could work a trail down to a rut. The dull ache felt good. Having a buddy who liked the same kinds of activities I liked felt even better. That she didn’t judge me for being in prison, or worse, ask what it was like being in prison was amazing. Who knew people would be so curious about life inside when they were never in danger of going to prison?
“I brought you both.” Molly sat next to me, placing two mugs and a bottle of water on the coffee table.
“Thanks.” I reached for the water.
This was becoming a bit of a habit. Molly would call whenever she had a small tour group. I’d join her on the hike or bike ride, then we’d head to a bar for a couple of drinks to end the night. Tonight, we’d had one too many to drive, so we walked back to her place to sober up before I drove home. It surprised me how quickly I fell back into the more than once a week drinking habit now that I had a decent paycheck.