He sighed and pursed his lips together again for a moment. “It’s not bad news.”
“So?”
“So, I can’t tell you not bad news on the worst day of your life.”
“You don’t know that this is the worst day of my life. There could be a tyrannical stalker ready to cut me up into thirty-seven pieces and turn me into sausages while wearing my face skin. That would be worse.” I joked, trying to cut the tension.Really, I just didn’t want my friends thinking they couldn’t share things with me because I was going through my own stuff. That included Breeze too. I hadn’t realised how self-absorbed I’d become.
“That was oddly specific.”
When his phone buzzed again, I lunged for it.
“Hey! Stay away from the driver!”
“Tell me, or next time I will get it—and I’ll throw it out the window. Then you’ll never be able to finish the equivalent of theyou hang up, no you hang upconversation you’re having with Hot Wood Chopper man.”
“You can’t hang up over text,” he replied before exhaling and dropping his shoulders. “Fine. But you asked for it.”
I nodded, transforming my face into what I hoped was a genuine smile. He didn’t look convinced.
“Maybe I want to have kids one day,” he said each word slowly, throwing a glance at me to see my reaction before looking away again. “Maybe I’m talking about it.”
“May-be?”I asked slowly.
Rick blew out a slow breath. “Maybewe’re talking about it.”
My mouth bobbed open. “Shut the front door!” I turned in my seat to face my friend, my wide smile sincere now.
“Don’t look at me!” he snapped.
Noted. Shower curtain conversation rules applied.
I turned back to the road and held a hand to the side of my face. “We’re talking about it... as inyou and Wood Chopper man?”
“I told you not to call him that. But yes. Maybe. What do you think?”
“I thought it was lesbians who U-Hauled?” I said.
I could feel his glare burning through my fingers.
“If we’d only been seeing each other a month, I’d agree. But it’s been over a year, on and off. I guess we’re exclusive now.”
“You guess?”
“We are,” he whispered.
Poor Rick was nearly as afraid of commitment as I was. This was huge.
“I think that’s incredible. I’m genuinely happy for you.” My heart was bursting for him.
“You are?” he asked, pulling my hand down from my face and squeezing it.
“Truly.” I looked him dead in the eye. “So happy for you.”
“Good,” he said, dipping his head and patting my hand as he pulled into Dad’s driveway. “Remember how happy you are with me.”
“For you,” I corrected.
“With me,” he nodded again, ignoring my words as he pulled up outside Dad's house.
