“A break?”
“It was moving too fast.”
“You took a break during the week of Valentine’s Day?”
“Yeah,” I spit. “A break. I forgot about Valentine’s Day.”
“Does she know about this break?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?” he asks, sounding irritated.
“Spit it out, Gill. What’s your problem?”
“God, my best friend can be an idiot,” he says to the world at large, apparently. “Now I understand some of her questions.”
“What questions? Was she trying to delve into my personal life?”
“Holy shit, Sam. She didn’t ask me to hack intoyourpersonal accounts or anything. Jesus.”
“Hey, you volunteered the information.”
“Yeah, I did. Now, let me ask you something… have you talked to herat all?”
“Sure. I sent her a couple of texts.”
He sighs heavily, obviously for emphasis. “I’m going to say something, and I hope you listen. Consider this an intervention from your best friend.”
I snort into the phone. I’m not sure if that’s about the intervention part or the best friend part; either way, he continues. “MacKenzie Blue Parker is unique. There are no two ways about it. She’s sweet, genuine, beautiful, and nothing like those social-climbing bimbos you usually date. If you didn’t mention your so-called break, don’t expect her to understand. Because if she hasn’t been informed that youneeded a break,then when you decide to pull your head out of your ass andattemptto see her again, she’s gonna turn you down, man.Flat.”
“Are you done?” I snap.
“No. I’m not done. If you don’t get it together, I’m going to ask her out.”
“The hell you are, Gill.”
“Yes, I will. I’m good-looking. I’m smart. Gosh darn it, people like me.”
“Ha. Ha.” I scoff again into the phone.
“I may not be as tall as you, but I’m close. I may not have blond locks like a douchebag surfer, but I’ve got lots of long dark hair. Chicks dig the man bun. I just bet she’s imagined me with my hair down while I fu?—”
“That’s it,” I holler. “You get within five feet of my woman, I’ll knock you out, asshole.”
He chuckles. “Your woman? Seriously. You leftyour womanhigh and dry without a word of warning when you decided to, what was it?Take a break?”
“Fuck off, Gill. Seriously, fuck the hell off.”
“You’ve got two days to get that shit back on track,boss, or she’smine.” This time he growls like he means it.
I hear the phone click.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
MISJUDGED AGAIN
“Goddamn, Gill,”I mutter as I clutch my cell. Like he’d ever have a chance with MacKenzie. She’s so into me. But I still ponder his words:If you didn’t mention your so-called break, don’t expect her to understand. Because if she hasn’t been informed that you needed a break, then when you decide to pull your head out of your ass and try to start seeing her again, she’s gonna turn you down, man. Flat.
