ALL CHARACTERS ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
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"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."
"Or, we could just go with them?" Jenna suggested lightly.
Ellie gave a small shrug. "Maybe. I haven't gone in years, not since Megan was born. We used to go together all the time. Or just out to regular clubs, you know, drinking and dancing. Used to doll myself up for him. He always loved the attention I'd get from other guys. Never got jealous about it. It would always get him pretty riled up, if you know what I mean."
Jenna couldn't suppress her knowing grin. "Yeah, Tommy's the same way."
Ellie arched her brow in surprise. "Really? Good for you. Most guys get so jealous, so territorial, if another man even looks at their woman wrong."
Letting out a wistful sigh, "Of course, it's been a long time since I've had that happen, anyway. You probably turn heads all the time."
"Oh, come on," Jenna objected, "you're still a beautiful woman. I'm sure guys are still giving you the side eye."
"If they are, I certainly haven't noticed. My own husband doesn't even look at me the same way anymore."
"I'm sure that's not true," Jenna offered sympathetically.
Ellie smiled sadly. "Look, I don't want to give you the wrong idea. Mike and I are very happily married. But things change over the years. Parties and wild nights together get replaced with nine to five jobs and feeding babies and cooking dinner and cleaning the house, and then you find yourself at forty going to bed at ten o'clock, too tired for even a quickie.
"That's why I don't mind Mike going to the strip club occasionally; it gives him a safe outlet to have a little fun. But I know he won't cheat on me. He's a good husband, and I know he still loves me. Just wish he'd get as excited over me as he does those strippers."
Jenna sat silent, unsure how to respond. She hadn't been in any relationship long enough to feel she was capable of giving advice.
Ellie was still talking as she continued preparing the burgers. "I guess you two haven't really had to deal with that kind of thing yet, being in such a new relationship. He probably can't keep his hands off of you."
Jenna blushed a little. "I suppose not. Although no relationship is perfect. Staying with him this summer has been fun, but it's also been an adjustment. There have been a few times we've gotten on each other's nerves, but nothing serious. Stupid things, really. He complains about hair in the bathtub; I complain about the toilet seat, silly stuff like that. And some days he comes home grumpy and tired from work. But he never takes it out on me or anything. And I have my ways of, well, cheering him up."
"I bet you do," Ellie smirked. "Pretty young thing like you; walk around in your underwear and he probably forgets all about that hair in the drain."
Jenna laughed. "True. I've been known to, well, tease him from time to time."
"I wish I could tease Mike like that," Ellie sighed. "I walk by him in my bra and panties and he barely looks up from his phone."
"Maybe you should...oh, I don't know. You probably don't want advice from me."
"No," Ellie encouraged, "go ahead. Say what you were thinking. I'm open for suggestions."
"Well," Jenna started hesitantly, "I was just thinking maybe, you know, do it more often. Get some newer, sexy underwear, or walk around the house without a bra. Flash him some skin, but in a way he thinks is unintentional. I bet he's looking when you think he isn't. Let him think he's getting an unintentional peek. You've got a great body; maybe show it off for him more, like you said you used to."
"It's tough to do that with Megan around," Ellie mused, "but now that she's older and out of the house more often, that's not a bad idea. Mike used to love when I showed some skin, even in public. Tastefully, of course, nothing too lewd. But he did get off on catching other guys checking me out. Always made him want me more."
Ellie looked thoughtful as she finished making the hamburger patties. "I want to ask you something, and please be honest, because I don't want to offend you or freak you out."
"Um, sure?"
