I’ve never beenthe kind of guy to cancel plans. In fact, I pride myself on that. If I say I’m going to do something, or be somewhere then I will. Dependability is the one thing people know to expect from me.
I like structure. Commitments. Following through. It’s engrained into my DNA.
But lately?
It’s all fallen to the back burner. The second Cove entered the picture, all I wanted was to spend all of my free time with her. If she wanted to see me then that superseded everything else.
It started small—pushing dinner with friends back an hour because Cove was textingcome over?
Then it escalated. I was missing a class here and there, skipping game night with Tanner, ducking out early from study group and I may have called in sick to work. Once or twice.
Why? All so I could be with her.
Tonight was no different.
Tanner and I had plans. I was supposed to meet him, his friend, Jax, and a couple of guys from work for wings. Instead,I’m sitting on the edge of bed, hands clasped together in my lap as Tanner looks at me as if he could kill me.
“Sorry, man, I can’t make it. Rain check.”
He shakes his head. “You’ve used all your rain checks this week, man. Come on, what's the deal?”
“I’ll make it up to you. Just don’t be pissed,” I tell him.
He just sits there. “What the hell’s happened to you, man? You never cancel and we just made these plans the other day. What could’ve happened between then and now?”
There’s a knock on our dorm room door and Tanner doesn’t even get up. Just yells, “Come in. It’s open.”
I let out a heavy sigh and the door opens, a guy steps in, dark curly hair and glasses. He’s about the same build as Tanner and I, but I have no clue who he is.
“Hey, man. Am I early?” Then as if he senses the tension in the room he adds, “Am I interrupting something?”
“Nah, Jax, you’re right on time. Tanner here is flaking on us though.”
Ahh, yeah, the new friend he wanted me to meet. The one I’ve flaked on two times already.
“Tanner, I’ll make it up to you,” I try to tell him again.
Jax snorts. “What’s her name?”
I look at him stunned. How does he know there’s a girl at the root of my cancellation?
“He’s been on one date so there can’t be a girl. If there was, he would’ve already told me all about her. Or been out with her more than once.” Tanner states with confidence.
Jax laughs. “Come on, man. You can’t see it? He’s gone. Fully. Head-over-heels gone. I don’t know what's wrong with her that he hasn’t told you about her, but there’s a girl.”
Tanner's eyes shoot to me, and I shrug, not even pretending. “Her name’s Cove.”
“Oh, so you got a girl and kept it from me? Does she have warts on her nose? Is it your sister? Tell me about this Cove.”
“She’s amazing. Smart, carefree, adventurous, gorgeous. Definitely no warts and not my sister.”
Tanner grins. “You canceled for her. Why not just invite her? Are you ashamed of your best friend?” He winks.
“You’re being fucking dramatic, man. This thing with her is new and well, I want to keep her to myself for a while. I was fully planning on going. She called me and said she was having a rough day.”
“And that matters more to you than me?” Tanner gasps, placing his hand over his heart.
“Yes.”
