Page 41 of Sex Positive

Growing up in the middle of Indiana, she hadn’t had many opportunities to visit a major city. Indianapolis was moderately sized, but it was nothing compared to NYC. Her elementary school had visited Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, but they hadn’t spent any time walking around the actual city. By the time she’d moved to Archwood, she’d simply wanted to escape her hometown.

Observing the people striding determinedly down the sidewalk, the bikers weaving in and out of traffic, she wonders what it would be like to live here. To be one face in the crowd of many.

Five days have passed since she and Wes ran into Nash at Tom’s. She hasn’t seen or spoken to Wes again before today, but she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about his reaction. Can’t seem forget the hurt in his eyes, the vulnerability in his words.

Sitting beside him now, she feels out of her depth. She desperately wants to eradicate this unfamiliar, sullen, introspective Wes. Wants to express regret about Nash, wants to probe deeper into Wes’s wounds and make sure he’s okay.

But would he be honest? Or would he brush her off with an ironic smirk, showing just how unaffected he is? It’s not like they share the kind of relationship where she can ask probing questions anymore.

Their relationship now is tenuous and weak, built on an exchange of services, a working arrangement in the loosest sense of the word. The time they’ve spent together recently has only reminded her how much she misses what they used to have. It’s been all too easy to fall back into their former dynamic, bask in the familiar comfort in his presence.

Has she ever tried uncovering the layers of him before?

Behind the glass, Theo and Victoria don their headphones. Charlie fidgets on the couch, her knee bouncing with apprehension.

A hand settles on her thigh.

She jumps.

Wes’s green eyes pierce hers. “Rogers, I need to—”

“Hello, hello, hello!” Theo’s voice booms out of the speaker. Charlie faces the studio, and Wes retracts his hand. “Welcome to another episode ofMale Perspective, where I ask the juicy questions you want answered and share all the juicy facts you’re dying to hear. Today I have a very special guest with me, whom I’ll introduce in a moment, but first I want to thank some of our partners—”

Theo reads through the podcast’s sponsors, his voice smooth and rich. Victoria watches him, a faint smile on her lips, appearing completely at ease.

Charlie picks at her cuticles, jiggles her foot.

“Now,” Theo says after finishing the ad, “everyone listening knows I love sex. Whether it’s with men, women, or nonbinary humans, I love giving, I love receiving, I love every aspect. Any position, anytime.”

Charlie glances at Wes, catching his eye. He shrugs as if to say,Yes, I know. It’s Theo.

She clasps her hands in her lap to keep from ruining her cuticles.

“I’m all for people choosing what to do with their bodies, especially during unprecedented times such as these.” He reads off a notecard without missing a beat. “Today, for the first time, my guest is a board-certified OB/GYN. She’s the founder and medical director of The Wild Rue Sexual Wellness Clinic, located just outside Baltimore. The clinic provides services that include STI testing, gender-affirming care, sexual dysfunction, and abortions for people all over the state and parts of Appalachia. Currently, her clinic is in danger of closing due to lack of funding and being replaced by something called a crisis pregnancy center. Please welcome Dr. Victoria Angelo.”

Charlie sees Victoria visibly inhale before she fixes Theo with a beatific smile.

“Thank you, Theo. I’m thrilled to be here to take the opportunity to talk about my work and my clinic, which is incredibly important not only to me but also to the thousands of patients we see on an annual basis.”

Charlie can hear her beaming through the mic. She lets out a breath, some of the tension she’s carried since Victoria gave her the news about the sale finally ebbing.

This will work,she thinks as Victoria explains how she started The Wild Rue.This has to work.

“Hey,” Wes whispers. “You good?”

Charlie looks at him, and this time, she doesn’t fight her grin; it feels like the most natural thing in the world. She experiences a rare burst of gratitude that he’s here, that he helped facilitate this.

“I’m great.”

When he doesn’t look away, she almost forgets they’re not alone.

“So, Victoria—can I call you Victoria, or do you prefer Dr. Angelo?”

Charlie blinks, returning her attention to the other people in the room.

Victoria looks like she hosts podcasts on a daily basis. “Victoria is fine.”

“Anyone ever call you Vicky?” Theo asks.