Andy looks at me properly then, and his expression shifts into something softer, something familiar. It’s hard to explain, but he looks like my Andy again. The version that sits on the sofa with me at midnight and shoots zombies.
‘How are you doing?’ he asks quietly.
‘I’m fine,’ I say automatically.
He gives me that look. The one that says,Whit, don’t you dare.
‘Whit.’
‘Ahh, there’s just a lot going on,’ I tell him. ‘A lot of surprises.’
He nods slowly.
‘I didn’t have you getting engaged on my bingo card,’ he admits.
‘Same,’ I say with a laugh.
We stand in silence for a moment, and my heart beats so hard it feels like it might crack one of my ribs.
‘So… Jake.’
My heart sinks.
‘What about Jake?’ I reply.
Andy shrugs, but there’s tension in his shoulders.
‘He seems… good.’
‘He is,’ I say too quickly, which is obviously what someone says when they’renotdefensiveat all.
Andy’s gaze narrows slightly.
‘Is he?’ he replies. ‘Is he really right for you?’
My throat goes dry. Why is he asking me this now?
‘Of course,’ I reply. ‘He’s perfect.’
‘Perfect isn’t real though, is it?’ he says. ‘Does he read? Does he play video games with you? Does he bring you chocolate from everywhere he goes?’
‘I notice you forgot my Tim Tams,’ I point out.
‘I didn’t, but Cordelia ate them,’ he replies.
Figures.
‘Andy…’ I begin, but I don’t know what to say.
He steps a little closer, voice low.
‘I didn’t expect it,’ he admits. ‘Seeing you with someone.’
‘Why?’ I ask.
‘Because we’ve always been us,’ he replies. ‘And now we’re both marrying other people, it feels weird, it feels final.’
‘But that’s what people do, they get married,’ I point out.
