ALL CHARACTERS ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
-------------------------------------------
"Do you think they'll like me?"
Jenna and Tom were on their way to visit his friend from work, Mike, and his wife, Ellie.
Football season was starting, and Mike had invited them over to watch the first preseason game.
Trish had gone home for the weekend to spend some time with her parents, so it was just the two of them.
"Why wouldn't they like you?" Tom asked. "Worried they'll be judgemental about the age difference thing?"
"No, not really. I don't really care about that. I guess I'm just a little nervous. This is the first time we've ever done a 'couples' kind of thing. Everything we've done together so far has always been with my friends."
"Well, don't worry, I don't think anyone will be taking off their clothes today. At least I wasn't planning on it. Wasn't sure about you."
Jenna punched his arm playfully. "Jerk."
Mike and Ellie greeted them warmly when they arrived. While Tom had told Mike a little about Jenna, including her age, he wasn't sure if he'd made Ellie aware. But if Ellie was at all surprised by Jenna's youth, she made no mention of it as she welcomed them.
"Just started prepping the food, but we've got some snacks out, feel free to munch. Want a beer?" Mike asked Tom.
"Sure, sounds great, thanks."
"I'll get it," Ellie offered. "How about you, Jenna? Beer? Wine? We've got the mixings for a few cocktails as well if you'd prefer."
Jenna's face went red. "Um, well," she stumbled, "I guess I should tell you I only just turned twenty, so..."
Ellie cocked her head for a moment, considering. "Well, as long as you're not driving, I don't see the harm in letting you have a few drinks. I won't call the police if you won't."
Jenna relaxed, her face lighting up with her trademark grin. "I appreciate it. A glass of wine for now would be wonderful, thank you."
Ellie returned with the drinks and they settled in on the couch, chatting amicably while the pregame show played in the background on their large flat-screen.
"So, Tommy told me you have a daughter?" Jenna asked.
"Yes," Ellie answered. "Megan. She's out, spending the night at a friend's."
"Oh. Too bad, I was hoping to get to meet her," said Jenna.
"Maybe next time," Ellie shrugged. "I'm sure you two would get along. She's sixteen, so you're pretty close in age."
Jenna flushed again, her eyes casting downwards uncomfortably.
Ellie, visibly embarrassed, opened her mouth as if to say something. Instead, she took a long swallow of her wine.
Mike jumped in, changing the subject. "So, what do you think about the team this year?" he asked Tom.
Jenna was quiet as the guys talked sports. She liked football well enough, but didn't really know that much about it, so she felt a bit lost in the conversation.
Ellie had tuned out as well. After a few minutes, she cleared her throat and stood. "Well look. While you boys compare draft picks and stats, I'm gonna go start the food. Jenna, care to join me?"
Jenna followed Ellie into the kitchen, spacious and well laid out for such a modest home.
"The menu is pretty simple, really," Ellie was saying, "some wings in the air fryer, and some burgers for the grille. Mike will probably take care of the grilling once I've prepped the patties. So not much to do, really. Why don't you take a stool there by the breakfast nook while I throw these wings in."
Jenna nervously sipped at her wine while Ellie started the fryer. Noticing her almost empty glass, Ellie asked, "Want a refill?"
Jenna hesitated for a moment before replying. While she was thankful for her host allowing her to drink alcohol, she didn't want to appear to be taking advantage. "Just...just a small glass, please."
Ellie sat beside Jenna as she poured the wine. "Look, I want to apologize for my comment earlier about your age. I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did. I'm sorry if I offended you."
Jenna flushed, but offered a forgiving smile. "It's okay. I guess you weren't expecting your husband's friend to be dating someone so much younger."
"Mike mentioned you were a college student," Ellie replied, "but I thought maybe you'd be a bit older and just taking extended courses or something. Again, please don't take me the wrong way. I'm not offended by it, and it's none of my business anyway. It just...surprised me a little."
"Trust me," Jenna said, "I'm still a little surprised by it myself."
"Do you mind if I ask how you met?"
Jenna told her the story she and Tom had used with both her lawyer and her accountant; how they'd met at the diner she'd worked at and hit it off.
"Is he the first older man you've dated?" Ellie asked, quickly interjecting, "I'm sorry. I'm asking a lot of personal questions, aren't I?"
Jenna again smiled. "It's okay, I don't mind talking about it. Yes; before Tommy I'd only ever dated guys my own age. They didn't really work out, obviously. And by the time I started college I'd decided I was done dating for a while. I just wanted to focus on my classes. But then I met Tommy, and, well, it just...clicked."
"Mike and I met back in college as well," said Ellie. "I was a freshman, he was a sophomore. We didn't get married until after we'd both graduated, of course. But the years in between were pretty, well...I suppose you know how college students can be. Parties and, you know, experimenting and all that. Different people, trying new things. Sometimes it got a little crazy. That all went away after we got married, of course."
Jenna squirmed in her seat. She did indeed know about "experimenting." She just wasn't sure how deeply she wanted to get into the topic with a woman she'd only just met.
Ellie noticed her discomfort. "I'm sorry. I'm over sharing, aren't I? I've had a few glasses of wine before you got here, guess it's loosened my tongue a little. That, and it's been awhile since I've had some female company over. All my girlfriends are married, always busy with the kids and husbands and jobs and everything."
Jenna laughed softly. "Hey, it's okay. If Tommy and Mike are gonna be friends, I'd like to hope we could be, too. Even with our age difference."
"I'd like that," said Ellie. "Hell, next time the boys go to the strip club, maybe you could come over here and keep me company."