She nods. “I suppose it is a bit of a gear shift.”
“Just a bit. Was it that obvious?”
“Yes. Are you okay?”
I take a breath. “I’m scared.”
It’s not hard to admit to Vanessa. She might be an interfering pain at times, but she’s always been there for me. She’s my rock like I’m trying to be Fitz’s tree. I almost burst out laughing at the memory of our ridiculous conversation. Fitz says some whacky things when he’s nervous.
“Of?”
“Fucking this up and losing my best friend.”
“I don’t think there’s much danger of that.”
“Really? Because I think it’s a real and present danger. Things were great, Vanessa. We were happy with our status quo.”
“Happy letting the guy you secretly love cook Valentine’s dinners for you?” She shakes her head.
“There’s nothing secret about the fact I love Fitz as a friend. But being boyfriends is different.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
I snort. “But it will be. There’s a lot to wrap our heads around, like both being attracted to a guy when we’ve only ever gone out with women before.” My face burns. “And then there’s sex. I’ve done my time as a fumbling virgin, Vanessa. I’m not sure I want to feel like that again.”
She puts her hand over mine. “You’ll figure all that out together. Assuming you want to?”
“What does that mean?”
“I know I made a joke about you two doing everything a couple does except sleep together, but you don’t have to have sex to be a couple. Not everyone needs or wants sex, and as long as you’re both on the same page, you can still have a wonderful and fulfilling relationship. Just think about how happy the two of you have been since you moved in together.”
“But it’s different now. We didn’t have feelings for each other.”
She smiles. “Are you sure about that? That spark didn’t come from nowhere, Adrian. You didn’t realise you liked each other just because I put the thought into your heads. Theonlything that needs to change is trying to date other people. Everything else can be the same.”
I’m not convinced.
“Do you want my advice?” Vanessa asks.
I nod because it can’t hurt. Ultimately, I can ignore whatever she says if I feel it’s not helpful.
“Stop overthinking and relax.”
I laugh. “Funny, I told myself to do that last night.”
“And did you?”
“Not so much. I don’t want to screw up.”
“You won’t. You care too much for Fitz to ever hurt him. The same goes for him. You two are meant to be together. You have an amazing friendship, and soon you’ll have something even stronger and more wonderful than that.” She squeezes my hand. “Trust in yourself, Adrian. And let me know when I can pick out a dress to wear to your wedding.”
I laugh. “You’ll be the first to know.”
“I’d better be.”
Chapter8
Fitz
