My heart tumbles.
I can’t fall for this guy. I can’t get involved with someone. I’ve been working so hard on my career and I can’t let romance interfere with that. Not right now.
I grab the marker. “My turn.” I push him down onto the bed on his stomach and carefully draw a single quarter note on the back of his shoulder. “There.”
He lifts his head. “What did you draw?”
“Pikachu.”
He drops his head to the pillow, his big body shaking with laughter. “Great.”
7
MAREK
Eleven months later
“What’s your New Year’s resolution?”
I look at the hot blonde standing next to me sipping her cocktail in the middle of the party at Club Crystal. She’s been following me around all night. Maybe she’s the answer to my resolution.
My resolution is to get over Nikki Sullivan.
Nah, I’m not going to say that out loud. And especially not to her. But taking her home with me might help me get over Nikki.
I’ve tried that, though. I’ve dated a few women since that night at the All Star game, thinking that would help. It didn’t.
It’s been almost a year and even I know I can’t go on like this. But hooking up with Georgia isn’t the way.
“My resolution is the same as every year,” I say with a smile. “No serious relationships.”
Her smile falters. “Oh.”
“I have to go. We have a game tomorrow.” I set my empty glass (which was water) on the bar. “Nice to meet you, Georgia.”
I see the disappointed dip of her lips. I’m not being an asshole. I’m being honest.
I find Mabel and Benny talking to Archie and Andi. The two couples are almost nauseatingly cute and blissful. I’m happy for all of them, but it makes me feel lonely and pathetic.
What has happened to me? I was the guy who didn’t want commitment, who just wanted to have fun. Now I’m Dougie Downer, moping over a woman who doesn’t want me.
Benny and Mabel are ready to leave, too, so we all head out together. We booked a car and it pulls up in front of the club after only a couple of minutes. Benny lives in the same condo building as me, and Mabel has now moved in with him, so we’re all going to the same place.
In the back seat I lean my head back and let out a long exhalation.
“That was fun!” Mabel says.
“No, it wasn’t,” Benny replies.
I grin. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“Okay, it wasn’t terrible,” Benny admits. “For about an hour.”
“You wanted to leave before the ball even dropped in Times Square,” she chides him.
“Yes. Absolutely.”
Benny’s an introvert. He’s come out of his shell a lot since he and Mabel got together. He actually hired her to coach him on how to be extroverted. And she’s the perfect person to teach that. Which is why she loved the big, glitzy party while Benny wanted to hide in a corner.
