‘I haven’t ruled it out,’ she jokes. ‘I was really struggling to find you that second date.’
I laugh.
JJ leans forward, elbows on the island, her eyes practically glowing with something that scares me.
‘He described himself. He reads. He keeps up with your sarcasm. He never talks over you. The man brings you back a different kind of chocolate from every one of his work trips – presumably you’ve already put in an order for Australia?’
‘Tim Tams,’ I admit with a chuckle. ‘He just knows me well.’
‘Yeah, he knows you,’ she replies. ‘He sees you – the real you. He’s been paying attention for years.’
‘That’s what friends do,’ I reply. ‘It’s not a romance thing. It’s… obvious. Of course I’d want in a partner what I already have in a best friend.’
The sentence hangs between us.
JJ’s expression changes suddenly. Like a light bulb just turned on in her head.
‘Oh my God,’ she breathes. ‘Of course!’
I frown.
‘What?’
She picks up her wine and sips it smugly, like a scholar who quietly but decidedly figured out the meaning of life.
‘Andy is still into you.’
I practically cackle.
‘What? No. Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘I’m not being ridiculous,’ she insists. ‘He’s always been into you.’
‘That’s not true,’ I say automatically.
‘Really?’ she says. ‘You’ve just casually forgotten that he asked you out? That he was romantically interested in you before you were friends?’
I hesitate before I reply. Of course I remember. It was years ago, but you don’t exactly forget meeting someone, do you? I’d just come out of a bad break-up, I wasn’t ready to date anyone, but I felt this connection with Andy that I couldn’t ignore so we decided to just be friends. I remember knowing I couldn’t get into anything, but not wanting to let him walk away. I also remember the look on his face as his smile faltered for a second before he said the words ‘just friends is good’. I’d always counted it as a blessing, that he asked, that I quickly pivoted it to something more friendly, otherwise we wouldn’t have the strong relationship we have now. We probably would have dated, fizzled out, gone our separate ways. There’s no way we’d be roommates, and I love living with him.
JJ smirks.
‘I mean, I know you remember,’ she replies. ‘But you said it wasn’t the right time to get into a relationship, so you swiftly ushered him into the friend zone. Presumably you fancied him though? He’s a good-looking bloke.’
I swallow – well, I try to. My throat feels so dry all of a sudden.
‘That was years ago. I’d had my heart broken. It was a moment. It doesn’t mean?—’
‘He’s still single too,’ she points out.
‘So am I,’ I say.
‘Exactly,’ she replies with a dramatic clap of her hands. ‘Neither of you has found anyone – certainly not anyone more perfect for you than the other. He’s too hung up on you to seriously pursue anyone else.’
‘Give over,’ I reply.
‘He is,’ she insists. ‘And you’re comparing every man you meet to him, not only because he’s a great benchmark, but because he’s perfect for you. You love him, right?’
‘I love him, yeah, I love you,’ I point out. ‘Most of the time…’
