I think they are too cocky, don’t you find?”Marie looked at Jodie and tilted her head. Her green eyes bored into Jodie’s soul as Jodie floundere... for a response. Jodie’s head swirled, feeling awkward and out of her depth. How was she supposed to answer that? She sat with her mouth opening and closing but no sound came out. She glanced at the photo of Marie and her wife, images of them both naked coming uninvited into Jodie’s head. Finally, Marie smiled and raised her hand in apology. “I’m. Only the exercise guilt monster could drive me from the warm restaurant. I knew I should be at the mall walking, so I headed over.I parked the bike outside in the sunshine and began to walk as soon as I got inside. I began to shed my excess clothing as I went. I got my coat and inner sweater off before the Dancer caught up with me."Even taking off your clothes you are the least graceful person I know," she said with a laugh."Hey, nobody else ever complained," I said with a smile to let her know. I filled the tanks and paid, then waited, and waited, and waited.I was of half a mind to leave them stranded here. Knowing Rory, she’d just go shopping and take a taxi home. Not much fazed her.Sitting on the aft bench seat, I thought about her. Rory was a constant source of surprise. I knew she could be grumpy. I knew she could be feisty. And I knew she could even be shy at times. I’d experienced all those traits as she’d grown up.What I’d never expected - who would? - was her attitude towards. Whoever it was came and stood right behind me. I whipped my head around in a moment of panic, and then sighed with relief. It was Richard. ‘Hey Rich.’ ‘Hey Shelley. What are you working on?’ ‘English essay.’ ‘Fun. Hey, have you been looking at that card I gave you?’ ‘Yeah.’ (He would smile. He would touch my shoulder and I would stand up. We would kiss briefly and I would nuzzle into his neck and nibble the soft skin of his ear lobe. He would tell me to wait and he would go over and close the.