The Friends We Keep by Holly Chamberlin Read Free Book Online Page A

acutely aware of my own unpolished appearance and flabby upper arms. Right there I determined to buy a set of hand weights and take a subscription to one of those fitness magazines.
    But maybe, I thought, Eva is a wreck on the inside. Maybe she’s just skilled at hiding her real feelings. Maybe, I thought, I should have sympathy for her.
    â€œOf course,” Eva went on, “I have sex whenever I want, so I’m not lonely.”
    â€œOh,” I said, my voice unnaturally high with surprise.
    Maybe it was my imagination but I found Eva’s tone challenging, and the sympathy I’d felt for her a moment earlier wavered.
    Eva looked at me, and again, I thought I sensed challenge. “Does that shock you, that I have sex without being in a relationship?”
    â€œNo,” I said quickly, “it doesn’t shock me.” I thought: Your tone shocked me, as you intended. “It’s just that I’m not used to hearing that sort of thing from other women.”
    â€œYour friends are all married, I suppose.”
    â€œWell, yes,” I admitted, thinking of the acquaintances I’d left behind in California. “Except for those who are divorced, and they’re all dating, hoping to meet someone to marry. They’re not just sleeping around. Not that I mean to imply that’s what you’re doing!”
    Eva laughed. “Poor Sophie. I don’t take offense all that easily. Anyway, it’s not like I go to bars and pick up strangers. That’s stupid, not to mention dangerous.”
    â€œOf course,” I said.
    Eva went on airily. “I have this friend—well, he’s not really a friend. We have sex and we go our separate ways. And sometimes I’ll have a quick fling with someone, no one who works in my industry, of course. That’s just bad policy. Anyway, I’ve decided that relationships are simply too risky. Look at you and Brad. The perfect couple, or so everyone thought.”
    Who was everyone? And how little Eva knew about the later years of my marriage! I wondered if she’d even be interested in finding out. Maybe, I thought, I shouldn’t have told her about the baby we never had. Maybe I shouldn’t have let her call Brad an ass.
    â€œBut life is all about risk, Eva,” I said. “I’m sure you take risks in your professional life.”
    â€œCalculated ones. You can’t take a calculated risk in matters of the heart so you’re bound to lose.”
    â€œNot necessarily,” I argued. “Even if a relationship doesn’t last forever, you can still gain a lot from the good parts of it.”
    Eva shook her head. “Not interested. I’ll stick to sex without commitment to anything other than pleasure. My pleasure, to be precise.”
    The bartender removed Eva’s appetizer plate. I was sure by the tiny grin on her face that she’d heard Eva’s last statement.
    â€œDo you like your . . . friend?” I asked in a whisper. “The one you sleep with?”
    â€œSure,” Eva said, “he’s nice enough. He’s a bit younger than I am, a bit naive in some ways, but he’s good at providing what I need from him.”
    I was trying, really, but I just couldn’t get my head around this idea. “But what do you talk about when you’re together?” I asked. “I mean, there has to be some conversation.”
    â€œWhy? I’m not interested in his life outside the room we’re occupying at the moment. And he’s not interested in mine. Well, not entirely. He does tend to ask me questions like how’s work going and have I seen any good movies lately, that sort of thing.”
    Friendly chitchat I could understand. That . . . humanized things a bit for me. “So, you answer his questions?”
    â€œOf course. I say ‘fine’ to the first question and ‘no’ to the second.”
    â€œEva,” I said with a shake of my