Page 12 of Memories of You

“He was okay with that?”

Something that might have been pain flashed over her face,but she nodded. “Eventually, yeah. But it was hard getting back on track. Ishouldn’t have ever slept with him in the first place.”

“Do you think he—”

“No. Absolutely not.”

She was adamant, but Renly wasn’t convinced. He nodded, butat the same time he made a mental note to check this Travis guy out.

“How about you?”

He didn’t have to ask what she meant. Of all the friends he’dever had, it was always Abby he understood perfectly. This time, though, hewasn’t sure he wanted to answer. But he did, because she deserved to hear thetruth, just like she’d told him the truth. “I guess I’m the opposite. I’m not abig fan of relationships. Sex I like, though. So the concept of friends withbenefits suits me just fine.”

“Oh. Why?”

That was not a subject he was getting into now, sohe just shook his head and asked, “You really didn’t know I was in town?”

“Not a clue. I already told you that. And why are youchanging the subject?”

He exhaled, then decided he’d rather she hear it from him.“You know I’ve been working in Hollywood. Well, I’ve been dating there, too.Francesca Muratti and Marissa McQuire. A few others, but those were the ones thatlanded my picture all over social media.”

She shook her head. “I’ve never really paid much attentionto celebrity gossip, but I know the names. They’re both huge. You’re sayingthat you dated both of them.”

“More like fuck-buddies,” he said. “I’m not really therelationship type.” It was who he was—who he always had been, at least sincehigh school. Before that, he’d been sure he’d marry Abby and they’d move toHawaii. He’d never been to Hawaii, but it seemed exotic, and at eleven the ideaof marriage had seemed exotic enough that Hawaii made sense.

Now he knew how foolish he’d been. Getting serious with Abbywould have been a mistake. Hell, they wouldn’t even be here now, having thisconversation, because it would have invariably fallen apart, and then theywould have lost everything, this perfect, easy friendship most of all.

“Why not?” she asked, and it took him a second to realizethat she was asking why he didn’t do relationships.

“It’s just—I don’t think it ever works out the way peoplethink it will.”

“Wow. Well, that just makes me sad. Why?”

He lifted his hands, then let them fall. Then flat-outchanged the subject, easing back to their childhood. At first, he thought shewas going to protest. But soon enough they were both on their third glass ofwhiskey and laughing their asses off remembering the time they’d tried to builda treehouse. “The look on your face when you fell though that flooring.”

“Hey, I could have killed myself.”

“Nah,” she said with a grin. “You’re indestructible. That’swhy you make such a great military guy. And Stark Security guy. What?” sheadded with a frown, apparently noticing something in his expression.

He forced a smile. “Nothing. I’m just thinking you make agood point. I wasn’t built for either architecture or constuction.Construction,” he said, realizing he’d had just enough whiskey to be pleasantlybuzzed.

“You should stay here,” she said. “It’s silly to take anUber home only to come back to the area tomorrow to get your bike. Plus, thiscouch is super comfy.”

He patted the cushion, hoping she couldn’t tell the way thather suggestion that he stay had perked up every cell in his body, only to havethem sagging in disappointment when she made it clear that he’d be camping onthe couch.

“I don’t know,” he began.

“Oh, come on. It’s getting late, but I don’t want to stoptalking. Do you?”

“No,” he said honestly. Right then, he felt like he couldtalk to her forever. More, that he wanted to. “Do you remember the time wedecided to run away?”

“Are you kidding? Of course. Third grade and we haddifferent teachers. It was horrible.”

“And you had a friend who was homeschooled, and when ourparents said no way, we decided to homeschool ourselves.”

“It seemed reasonable at the time,” she said, and hechuckled with the memory.

“We each took an encyclopedia, water, and potato chips,” hesaid. “I had X-Y-Z.”