The afternoon sun streamed in through the curtains hitting Mary's bare back as she lay tangled in the sheets with Lou beside her. It was a typical Saturday for them, spending the afternoon in bed. They had an agreement between them. It was only physical and they both preferred it that way. They didn't need each other for anything else. They were friends, who happened to sleep together once in a while. It started after they had both come off bad relationships and they agreed that a relationship was not what they wanted from each other. But they found they enjoyed the sex. Maybe because there were no strings attached, no talk of where it was going, how they felt. They could just fall together and give each other some measure of happiness. Both of their hearts had been broken far too deeply to handle anything else. Mary rolled over onto her back pulling the sheets up over her breasts. They had to go to Ted Baxter's birthday party later. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She felt a hand against her back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lou asked sleepily

"I've got to go home and get ready for Ted's party." She explained wrapping a sheet around her and getting up to get her clothes

"Just the way I want to spend my Saturday night" He asked rolling on to his side watching her, "Why are you in such a hurry for a party for Ted?"

She dropped the sheet and stood there putting on her bra and underwear, "Because my date will be picking me up in a couple of hours." She said pulling her turtleneck on

"You're bringing a date to the party?" He asked, "Who's the lucky guy?"

"No one you know." she said quickly brushing through her hair

"New guy, huh?" He said watching as she stepped into her jeans, her legs long and lean, "Where'd you meet him?"

She sat on the side of the bed putting on her shoes, "I met him the other day when I was buying Ted's present. He's a ski instructor."

"A ski instructor?" He asked puzzled, "That doesn't seem like your type."

"Hmmm," She mumbled standing up, "So now you're an expert on my type?" She asked looking at herself in the mirror

"Well, I have known a lot of the guys you've gone out with," He paused, "Dan, Matt, Tom..."

She looked in her purse for her keys, "Alright, alright, let's not go down memory lane, please."

"All I'm saying is that I know they type of guy you usually go for and usually they have more between the ears than some ski instructor."

"You don't even know him." She told him

"No, but I sure know the type." He said, "Not much upstairs. That's never been your type."

"Well, maybe once he wouldn't have been but he's drop dead gorgeous and doesn't care about having deep meaningful conversations about anything." She pointed out, "I can't put myself through that anymore."

"Is this your first date with him?" He asked. He knew how battered and bruised her heart was but he wondered how long she could keep this up and where it would leave them

"No." She told him, "Why?"

"Just curious, so you're only going out with him because he's good looking and shallow?" He asked

She sat back down on the bed and looked at him, "Well, you're not the only one I can have a non-relationship with, you know."

"I thought we did have a relationship," Lou said, "We're friends aren't we?"

"You know what I mean." She said

He pulled her close to him, "Do you tell him the things you tell me?" He asked

"I don't tell most people the things I tell you." She admitted

"Hmmm," he mumbled, "Are you sleeping with him?"

She got up and headed toward the bedroom door then turned back and smiled, "See you at the party, Lou."

LATER THAT EVENING

Paul had dropped Mary off at her apartment and stayed for a drink then left. He wasn't a bad guy, just not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She liked not having to try so hard. They had superficial conversations, mostly about skiing. He was unbelievably good looking and she liked how it felt to be out with him and people stared. She felt nothing for him beyond a passing interest. She wanted it that way, less of a chance her heart would get broken again. She never thought she would come to a point like this but she had. After years of dating, she was tired, tired of trying, tired of the hope every time she met someone that they would be the one. There were two men she ever considered marrying, Bill, her boyfriend in Roseburg and Dan Whitfield, they almost did get married but he moved away to take a job and that was it. She thought she would never stop crying when he left. She wasn't about to put herself in that position again. She and Lou had their agreement and she had plenty of casual dates that she would make sure led nowhere. She was sitting by lamplight with a glass of wine when the phone rang startling her out of her reverie.

"Hello." She answered

"Hi." It was Lou, "I just wanted to see if you're okay."

"I'm fine, why?" She asked

"Oh, you seemed kind of distracted at the party." He told her, "I mean your date was so captivating I figured you would have been hanging on his every word."

"Is that why you called, to critique my date?"

"No, I just wanted to check on you." He reiterated, "Friends do that you know."

"Ah, well, I appreciate the concern but I'm fine, just a little tired." She said, "I, uh, kind of wore myself out today." She quipped

He laughed, "Well, next time I'll be…less enthusiastic.

She smiled, "I'd be disappointed if you were," She told him, "Good night, Lou."

"Good Night."