The move itself is finished, but I still need to unbox and find new homes for everything, all while entertaining guests.
Who arranges a dinner on move in day?
I guess I just assumed there would be less pressure on everyone if the vibe was more casual. Eating pizza, drinking beer, attempting to distract myself by slowly unpacking boxes.
"Are you sure you want us to stay?" Bea asks as she and Laney wipe down surfaces in my new kitchen to prepare for all of my brand-new appliances.
"You guys have been a huge help to me today. The least I can do is buy you pizza and beer as a thank you." I smile, and they nod, making their way to my new couch, getting themselves comfortable.
I realized earlier today that I’ve had someone by my side with every decision I’ve made my entire life. It’s been really easy, focusing on things that I want, not having to factor in anyone else’s opinions.
I picked out my dream couch in the color white. I bought a fridge that tells me the weather and reads out recipes to me as I cook. Just because I could.
I decided to turn one of the bedrooms into an office and a library for my ever-growing book collection. I even bought the biggest tv I could find so I could watch whatever I wantedwheneverI wanted.
I made all of those decisions for myself.
"Thanks so much for all of your help today," I say to Harley as I watch him head for the fridge to grab himself a beer, already making himself comfortable.
I kind of liked that he already feels relaxed enough to make himself at home.
Okay, not kind of.
Ireallyliked it.
"You know I’d help you with anything." He flashes me a smile, the amber beer bottle at his lips. Taking a sip, he grabs three extra beers from the fridge and four brand new coasters, placing them down on my new, glass, gold rimmed, coffee table.
"Who’s ready for pizza?" I ask, clasping my hands together.
"I’m starving," Laney replies, her stomach grumbling right on cue.
Taking my phone out of my pocket, I order three large pizzas fromGC Pizzeriafor the four of us to enjoy over good company, alcohol, and even better conversation.
"So, you found out he cheated on you at his sister’s wedding?" Laney gawks at me while chewing on a slice of pizza, and I nod while chugging the rest of my drink.
I guess Harley now knows about what happened between Austin and me, but he hasn’t said a word to disrupt the conversation. It’s not like I was hiding it from him. I just hate talking about it. But Laney asked, and I didn’t want to lie.
"I can’t believe you were actually engaged to that guy." She points her finger to her open mouth as if to gag, and I laugh.
"Me neither. Honestly, the entire situation makes me never want to be engaged ever again." I shiver at the thought, and I hate Austin for making me feel this way.
"Never?" Bea asks, and I shake my head while swallowing a bite of pepperoni pizza. "Not really. I don’t see the point of wasting time,hopingone day my fiancé will decide he actually wants to marry me, you know? I got sick of begging him to pick a date. Trying to meet vendors with him. Trying to plan anything at all. It became more of a chore instead of an enjoyable experience." I shrug.
"That sucks," Bea says. "In school, you always used to talk about wanting to get married and be a Mom someday."
"Oh, I would still love both things. But if it were up to me, I would skip an engagement all together. Maybe my future husband will want to suddenly elope on the same day he proposes. With our families and friends." I chuckle. I don’t miss the fact that Bea’s watchful eyes float between me and Harley, who still hasn’t even mumbled a single word.
What he has done, though, is shift uncomfortably in his seat on more than one occasion.
"Babe, I hate to break it to you, but that’s not how you elope. An elopement is with, like, one witness." She smirks, and the conversation changes.
We talk about how I’m enjoying my new job, how Bridie’s has been overwhelmingly busy, how Laney is getting client after client in her new yoga studio in town, and how Harley just negotiated and secured the old Mercury Hotel in town that he’s hoping to turn into an apartment building.
My friends are all thriving, and it made my heart swell.
"So, what’s the story here?" Laney asks, changing the subject, closing the lid of the last pizza box. "Shetold me not to ask about it,” Laney says, gesturing to her wife, "but the sexual tension isthickin here tonight." She whistles. "Something tells methatyouwant to railher." She points from Harley back to me. "Andyouwanthimto fuck you senseless," she says, finishing with her eyes locked on mine.
"Wow, you really don’t sugar coat shit, do you?" Harley laughs, placing his empty beer bottle down on his coaster, but doesn’t address her comment.
