“Maybe you should just have sex with him,” Jess says. “Get it over with!”

“Yeah,” Nancy jumps in. “I think you’re building it up in your head. It’s too much pressure!”

I shake my head. I can’t imagine having sex with him now. What if he stops in the middle and says, “I’m good”? I drop my face in my hands.

“C’mon, it’ll be really hot. You can buy some candles and dress up for him in your sexiest lingerie. . . .”

“I already did all that,” I say.

Nancy cocks her head. “And what were his words exactly?”

I repeat them verbatim to the girls.

Jess sighs through her teeth, yikes. I put my head down on the table. I wish my mother were here. She’d know what to do. It’d be weird, but she’d tell me exactly what to do to fix this.

“Maybe he’s just not into BJs?” Florence asks.

“What guy is not into BJs?” I mutter from behind my arms.

“I once had a guy tell me my mouth was too hot,” Jess says, cracking up as she says it. Jess opens her mouth wide, inviting us to feel the temperature.

Florence tosses out another wild theory. “Maybe he’s saying you’re so special, you don’t have to do that. Like you’re wife material, not mistress.”

We all stop talking and look at her.

“Okay, we have to talk about this,” I say, sitting up.

“Yes, we do,” Jess says. Everyone falls quiet as Jess turns to Florence. “Everyone’s wife material. Me, you, your mom, everyone.” As she lifts her eyes to meet Florence’s. “And if one day you meet a guy and he doesn’t understand—”

“About that. There’s something else I need to tell you guys,” Florence says, taking a deep breath.

I reach over and squeeze her hand. You can do this!

“I’m gay,” she says.

Jess and Nancy stare at her.

“Is this a joke?” Jess asks.

“No,” I quickly say.

Jess turns to me. “Wait a minute, you knew about this?” she asks. “I’m the last person to find out?”

“I didn’t know either. Though thinking back,” Nancy says, putting a finger to her chin, “you did have that big-ass poster of Kristen Stewart in your room.”

“I liked Twilight.” Florence shrugs.

“Me too,” I say.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me earlier,” Jess says.

“I didn’t know how you’d react.”

“Hello, do you not know me at all? I am such an ally. I love Karl Lagerfeld, may he rest in peace,” Jess says, making a cross on her chest.

Florence chuckles.

Jess points to me and Florence, smiling. “So, Claire, if the blow jobs don’t work out for you, you can always give this one a call.”

Florence takes a carrot and throws it at her. “Shut up!” she says, laughing.