‘Oh, sorry,’ he said, loosening the hold a little.
‘Yeah, that’s better,’ Tommy said, coughing. ‘Less of a reminder that I could really do with hitting the gym.’
‘Don’t force a decision,’ Jacques told him. ‘Don’t think just because you’re an adult now that you have to do anything or be anywhere or have career aspirations.’
‘So, carry on living off Dad?’
‘I didn’t say that either.’
‘I know I need to get a job but, you know, I don’t wanna start something I can’t finish. Just like you said.’
‘Ah,’ Jacques said, feeling older than he ever had. ‘But that depends on whose terms you are working to. What is the finish line? Whatever you do, only you can decide that.’
‘Jesus,’ Tommy remarked. ‘Now you’re sounding like Delphine.’
Jacques swallowed. His friend. Struggling with her own crisis. And he couldn’t share that with anyone yet.Distraction.
‘So, I might have… maybe… asked Orla to go on a date with me,’ Jacques stated.
‘Whoa! Bro, are you for real?’ Tommy exclaimed.
He took a breath and nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Wow, I wasn’t sure the day would ever come.’
‘And that is why I have no idea what to do,’ Jacques admitted.
‘OK, that’s bad.’
‘Well, as your reaction suggested, it’s been a long time.’
‘And you’re asking for my input? I’ve had two dates,’ Tommy said. ‘One of them we shared a pizza on the wall of a parking lot. Her choice. The second one I went all out with melted chocolate and strawberries and the chocolate got too hot and almost gave us third-degree burns.’
‘Now I am worrying about things I wasn’t thinking about before.’
‘OK, well, the key to a successful date according to most of the reels I get served on my “for you” page is “thoughtfulness”. It’s not buying two hundred red roses or something from Pandora, it’s about having listened and absorbed the little things they’ve shared with you and delivering those in a romantic way.’
‘OK,’ Jacques said, nodding but already feeling the clench in his stomach that said he was so far out of his comfort zone he could no longer see the border.
‘And your fit.’
‘Yeah, I know, we established you need to spend more time in the gym.’
Tommy laughed and Hunter sat up and barked. ‘No, man, your fit. What you’re gonna wear to impress Orla.’
He frowned then. He dressed for practicality not for fashion.
‘Oh my God, Hunter, right now I think you’d have more of a chance taking Orla on a date,’ Tommy said, rubbing the dog’s fur.
‘I can’t deny that,’ Jacques answered. ‘Although I would hope that I won’t drool as much as Hunter would.’
‘Over the food or over Orla?’ Tommy asked, grinning.
‘Hey,’ Jacques said. ‘I’m not comfortable with you making jokes like that.’
Tommy laughed. ‘I’m an adult, remember. But, listen, bro, I got you. You work out where you’re gonna take her and what you’re gonna do and I’ll make you look as fine as I can.’
Hunter barked then as if the suggestion was set.
