“Zoe?”
“My best friend from Melbourne. She’s my best man and driving me batty.”
“Zoe’s your best man?”
“Yeah.” He quirked his eyebrow in my direction. I’d never heard of a female best man before. I mean, if that’s what Derek wanted, then more power to him, it was just something I hadn’t seen. “She’s as close as I’m going to get. But the issue is, she wants to plan my bucks’ party.”
“And the issue is?”
“You’ve met Zoe. Her idea of a wild night is two fruity cocktails with umbrellas, then watching Magic Mike in her pyjamas while scarfing down a block of chocolate before falling asleep on the couch.”
“Right.”
I could see his dilemma. Even though I didn’t know the full story when it came to Zoe, it was obvious that he loved that girl. They shared an unmistakable bond that was obvious to anyone who saw them. Now he had to choose. Let the girl who had some hold on his heart plan his bachelor party and let her smile light up the world or, tell her no and watch as disappointment filled her eyes.
“Why don’t you ask Mia to talk to her?”
“Mia?”
“Yeah. Girls are good at dealing with each other’s emotional bullshit.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course I am. And if Zoe really is the woman you think she is, all she’ll really want is to see you happy.”
“You’re probably right.”
“No probably about it. I know I am. Anyway, she’s going to be the one standing next to you on the big day, isn’t she?” Derek nodded. “Then there’s no way you’re forgetting her. She’s got the most important role on the day, well, after you and Mia, obviously.”
“What?”
“Make sure you get there without throwing up all over your tux.”
Derek clapped me on the shoulder. Hard. With the warmth from his hand seeping through my shirt, for the first time since I’d moved here, since I’d run away from everything I knew and was, I allowed myself to believe that maybe I’d found someone I could call a friend.
Shaking my head, I attempted to clear the heavy thoughts I needed to move on. Guys didn’t talk about emotional crap, yet for some reason here we were having a deep and meaningful on a Friday night. What’s worse was, neither of us were drunk. That was the only excuse for having this conversation. A conversation that needed to end…now!
Derek must have had the same thought. Grabbing us each another beer, I popped the cap just as Derek said, “So, wanna show me what you’ve been up to?”
“Sure.”
A moment later we were standing in the bare bedroom while I pointed out the changes I’d made and my future plans. Although I wasn’t one hundred percent sure what I was doing, Derek had some good ideas.
“What are you going to do when you finish it?”
“If I finish it,” I corrected.
“When. You will.”
“I don’t really know.”
“Will you head back to the city?”
“What makes you think I’d go back there?” I couldn’t keep the shock from my voice. Even the thought of going back there sent a cold shiver through me.
“Isn’t it your home?”
If, for a moment nothing could hurt me more than the shit I’d already been through, then Derek’s simple question gutted me. It hurt in ways I couldn’t imagine possible and never believed could happen.
