“Yeah, the first time I tried yoga I was bored out of my skull after about five minutes,” Breanna says with a grin. “But a few years ago I was having back pain, so I tried it again and now I love it. If you ever want to come, I can bring a friend for free twice a month.”
“Thanks,” I reply. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’ve been trying to convince Drew to try yoga, but so far he’s been a hard no,” Breanna continues. “But if you were going, he might change his mind.”
“I doubt it,” I say with a chuckle. “He doesn’t seem like the yoga type.”
“He’s not, but I bet you could persuade him.”
“I don’t know about that.” It’s clear Breanna thinks her brother and I are serious, and I feel guilty for deceiving her. I’m tempted to come clean, and confess that Drew and I have a three month arrangement that arose from a misunderstanding.
“I bet you could,” Breanna repeats. “He’s different when he’s with you.”
“Different how?”
She pauses to think about it. “More relaxed, maybe? Not that relaxed, because then he wouldn’t be Drew, but . . . lighter somehow.”
I’m too surprised to reply right away, and I wonder if she could be right. Then I remember that Breanna’s seen me with Drew exactly twice: for a few minutes at a coffee shop, and then briefly again tonight. Any changes she noticed in her brother are likely coincidental.
“How did you guys meet?” she asks. “I’ve asked him, but he refuses to tell me.”
“I was his admin assistant.”
“That’s amazing!” Breanna says with a laugh. “And very romantic, because Drew’s, like, the last person I’d have expected to date his admin assistant. He must have fallen hard.”
I hardly know what to say to that. It doesn’t matter, though, because Drew’s walking over to us.
“I have to go in to the hospital,” he says apologetically.
Breanna frowns. “I thought Tuesday was your call night?”
“It is,” he explains. “But I said I’d cover a colleague tonight. It’s his fifteenth wedding anniversary, and he forgot until a couple days ago. So?—”
“So you couldn’t say no,” Breanna says, as though she’s not surprised. She turns to me. “Drew can’t really help himself, he has this need to rescue people?—”
“I just traded a call shift, Breanna,” Drew says, sounding irritated. “You make it sound like it’s some sort of character flaw.”
“Sorry,” Breanna says. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Okay,” Drew says. “I told Charlotte I could come over Sunday afternoon to do some more math problems, if that works for you.”
“That would be great,” Breanna says. “Thanks, Drew. Before I forget, I’m thinking of taking Charlotte to Calgary in August, to see Dad. Any chance you and Ally want to come?”
Drew’s eyebrows draw together. “I don’t think I’ll be able to get the time off.”
“You work too much, Drew,” Breanna says with a frown. “What do you think, Ally?”
“Oh, I agree. He works way too much.”
Breanna laughs. “No, I mean what do you think about a trip to Calgary in August? If Drew could swing it with work? You could meet our dad and stepmom.”
Hmmm. I think that since my relationship with Drew will end in August, it wouldn’t make sense for me to fly across the country on a meet the family trip. I’m racking my brain for how to answer Breanna when Drew steps in.
“Come on, Bree,” Drew says. “Ally and I have barely been together a month. It’s way too soon to pressure her to fly to Calgary.”
He’s absolutely right. I shouldn’t go to Calgary, and his answer shouldn’t sting, but for some reason it does.
Breanna and Charlotte leave with Drew. I change into workout clothes and unroll my yoga mat, hoping a workout will improve my mood. I’m irritated about the Calgary discussion, but I’m also irritated with myself for caring about it. I’ve known all along that regardless of how real our relationship seems, it has an end date.
