13
Savannah
Inever thought I would be the kind of girl who sits by her phone all weekend, desperate to hear from a man. But here I am, on a Sunday morning, mainlining coffee and obsessively checking for a message, an email, hell I’d take a carrier pigeon at this point, from Alex.
Friday was amazing. Seeing Alex outside of the pool and office, or better yet, seeing him in my world at the shelter, was so perfect. He wasn’t the polished and perfect businessman, nor was he the sexy swimmer. He was just a guy enjoying the company of some adorable dogs. I started to see the possibility of a relationship with him, a connection that would go beyond lust.
Then he ghosted me. After a kiss that was far too sweet for my liking, he walked away without looking back, and now he’s gone radio silent, despite telling me he would ‘be in touch soon’.
What. The. Hell.
I spent yesterday in my apartment catching up on work that I was incapable of doing the previous day, thanks to Mr. Distraction, but today all I want to do is wallow in my confusion. But my friends aren’t letting me. Apparently, the rambling texts I sent late last night after too much wine served as an SOS, and they’re showing up this morning to talk me off a ledge.
My front door opens, and I know it’s Carlene. She’s the only one with a key to my place, because she waters my plants when I visit my parents.
“Okay, what’s going on, you crazy lady? The last time you got drunk and mopey about a man was when Thor got fat.”
A tray filled with specialty coffees is placed on the table in front of me, and I greedily grab the one labeled with an ‘S’, only to have it snatched out of my hand.
I turn to Carlene with a pout, but she shakes her head at me. “Nuh uh, no vanilla hazelnut latte for you until you tell me what sexy swimmer guy did to upset you.”
I sit back with a huff. “Fine. Withhold caffeine from the woman in crisis, you big meanie.”
Carlene doesn’t budge, she simply sits there and looks at me expectantly.
“I have no idea what happened. One minute we’re having a great day and he’s kissing me, I’m ready to take it further, and the next minute he’s gone.”
There’s a knock at my door and I hate how my heart leaps at the thought that it might be Alex. Then I hear Bianca’s voice through the door as she knocks again.
“Let me in, Van. I have donuts.”
“Ooh, let her in, I’m hungry,” Carlene chimes in.
I get up and let Bianca in, who takes one look at me and shakes her head.
“What did he do?”
“Nothing. He did nothing.”
Carlene wanders into the kitchen and grabs a donut from the box Bianca has opened. “And that’s the problem, I’m guessing.”
“Bingo bango, give the girl a prize,” I grumble, taking two donuts and walking back to the couch where Carlene finally hands me my coffee.
My friends settle themselves on the couch and chairs around me, and for a blissful moment, we just eat and drink in silence. It’s only a matter of time before my friends’ curiosity gets the better of them.
“Okay, I have an hour before Georgina wakes up from her nap and I need to head home. So let’s figure this out.” Bianca claps her hands and sits up, fixing me with her direct gaze. “You like Alex. We’re pretty damn sure he likes you. Something has happened, and you better be prepared to tell me what, but now he’s pulling a typical guy move and has disappeared. Am I missing anything?”
I shake my head, unable to speak around my mouthful of fritter.
Bianca continues, tapping her coffee cup against her chin thoughtfully. “I’ll say this, the little that I know about him from Dex, I don’t think he’s really the relationship type. Could it be he’s just freaking out because he’s suddenly thinking with his heart and not his dick?”
I snort and crumbs of my donut fall out of my mouth.Classy, right?But the thought of Alex having actual feelings for me is ludicrous. Isn’t it? I take a sip of coffee before answering.
“Yeah, maybe? I mean, I pegged him as a guy who wanted nothing more than sex right from the beginning. That’s why I resisted his flirting. I’m not interested in just being a notch on someone’s bedpost.”
“But the notching could be so much fun,” Carlene teases and it brings out a laugh even from me.
I make a noncommittal noise in my throat. “I know, it could be. And I was starting to think that I could be okay with that. But then I remembered that there’s no way I can just have sex with him, then go back to work the next day as if nothing happened, you know? So I figured I could wait until I wasn’t working there anymore. But then they extended my contract, which is great, except it means I’m stuck in this weird co-worker, sort of employee, relationship limbo with him for who knows how long.”
