I kind of don’t, though…
She brings her dishes to the sink, and I do the same.
“Finish your potatoes,” I tell Noah.
“I’m trying,” he huffs. “Can I have more gravy, please?”
I glance into the pan on the stove to make sure there is some left. Noah can have dessert when he’s done with his meal, but he hates cheesecake, so he’ll choose something else. Probably a pudding cup because he’s been obsessed with them lately.
“Yep.”
I put my dishes in the sink, then grab the pan and give him the rest of the gravy, which covers the little bit of potatoes he has left. This kid will devour anything if it’s covered in sauce.
Noah finishes them quickly, and then he brings his dishes to the sink and rinses them, which is part of his chores for dinner time.
“I’ll have dessert later. My belly is full.” He pats it.
“Smart decision,” I say as I wash his dishes the rest of the way and leave them in the strainer while Audrey gets him ready for his bath.
“I’m going to head up,” I call out from the living room. “I need a shower.”
“Are you going out?” Audrey calls back from Noah’s room.
“I don’t know yet, but when I figure it out, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Love you!” she calls out.
“Love you both,” I call back and head up to my apartment.
I’m feeling icky. Sad. More than I should over someone I don’t know not talking to me. I should go out, even if I don’t want to. Or maybe I’ll just shower, put on comfortable pajamas and curl up on the couch to watch a sad movie to make me feel better about my life. Are there any romance movies with firefighters in them?
That would be stupid, Miles. That’s the exact thing you don’t want to do.
What is wrong with me? I don’t even know this guy. Why can’t I stop thinking about him? I’ve had plenty of hookups before, and none of them were like this. Sure, it was a little weird being so vulnerable with someone only to never talk to them again, but I never felt the need to talk to them again. JJ? All I want to do is talk to him.
I take a quick shower, and stare between my closet and my dresser.
Go out or stay home?
Bar or couch?
Movie or vodka?
“Ugh!” I drop onto my bed, the towel falling partly open.
I could just go to sleep. I do have work tomorrow. But it’s still so early. I don’t want to be in bed right now. I’m not even tired. How am I ever going to find someone to spend my life with if I’m in bed at eight? This is why I’m almost thirty and still single.
I lean over to grab my phone from the end table and pull up the group chat with Maxwell and Rudy, my two best friendsthat I don’t talk to nearly enough because we live very different lives. We do keep in touch though, and we have a mutual understanding that we talk when we can. No one gets upset about it if we go days, sometimes weeks, without a word.
Me:
What are you guys doing?
Rudy:
Oh, he lives!!!!
Maxwell:
