HOW TO BE SINGLE | SIDEMEN

THIRTY SIX

t h i r t y s i x
" golden smile "
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Alice sipped on her coffee tentatively. Freshly brewed and ready for a gossip session after not being around each other for too long. Adela had missed her a lot, even though she'd found herself some new company.

"So," Alice said, setting down the mug on the table and leaning back into the old sofa, "what's the deal then?"

"With me and Lewis?" Adela's rings tapped against the china mug's worn pattern.

"Yes!" Alice exclaimed. "I need to know everything. You two sure looked cosy when I walked in on you like three days ago. Wish we could've had this catch up sooner because I've been dying to know the details, but you've been a little busy with work since the New Year."

"New job, new demands," Adela replied. "So, after we kissed under the mistletoe you craftily stuck above my door, he took me out for a date and it went really well."

"More importantly, did he like the dress?" Alice's eyebrow cocked up cheekily.

"You were right," Adela mumbled, staring down into her coffee with burning cheeks and a grin on her glossed lips. "I mean, I didn't intend to have sex with him this early on, but it just kinda happened after a deep conversation where some... worries were cleared up."

When she looked up from the swirling brown coffee, Alice was beaming from ear to ear.

"I'm so proud of you!" She punched Adela's arm gently, congratulating her in sorts. "Does this mean he could be your Mr. Right?"

"It's a little early to know just yet, but I hope so. He's actually been spending a lot of time here recently too."

"Spending time here or in your bed?"

"Shut up." Adela's cheeks flamed once more. "He's not using me for sex. We go for lunch together, I sometimes go with him on dog walks, and we actually cooked dinner together the other night. He's a nice guy."

"I know, I just wanted to hear you gush about him a little more," Alice admit. "So, when's he gonna ask you to be his girlfriend, then? Or is this just a friends with benefits type of thing?"

"Maybe soon," Adela responded. Honestly, she'd been wondering the same thing. "Because this definitely isn't just friends with benefits. If it is, I've got more strings than a puppet."

"You really like him, huh?"

"I like him a lot." She grinned a golden smile, brighter than the mother sun.

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