Page 169 of Well Played

Josie: Damn. You look hot in a sundress. Nice cleavage.

Me: Thank you. Bet you would look hotter. Get some rest so you can be well for our not-a-date-just-a-guy-and-girl-who-are-friends-having-dinner-together.

Josie: Good night, Sam.

Me: Night beautiful.

Josie: Friends don’t call each other beautiful. You can do better.

Me: Challenge accepted.

I grin at my phone. Challenge accepted to win her over. Friends turn into lovers all the time. This woman has potential to be long-term relationship status. Am I ready for that in my life knowing I may be drafted and put on some random minor league team on the other side of the country?

It would only be until Sebastian and Shawn finish school, then I could quit baseball and go into financial services. WouldJosie wait for me? Or better yet, come with me? She may be worth the risk. I have to be firm in turning Laura down. OperationConvince Josie To Date Meis a go, a plan forming in my head. But I’m going to need some help.

4

Josie

It’s Tuesday.My voice is a raspy whisper, but I can finally make sounds. I missed work again, but now feel like I got hit by a small compact car instead of a semi truck. I was sitting on the couch when Parker took Laura to work. Her dad took away her car until she pays him back after overspending her credit card. That’s also why she had to get a part time job.

Laura didn’t even glance my way when they left. My heart drops. She’s mad at me. I need to set the record straight that nothing is going on between me and Sam, no matter how much I want there to be. Sam is the first guy who’s peaked my interest since my ex. It saddens me I can’t date him, but my friendship with Laura is too important.

My ex, Ricky, was everything I thought I wanted in a guy. Handsome. Charming. Mature. Played guitar. We met in the student union at the beginning of our sophomore year. He asked to join me while I was eating lunch. I was giddy to have attracted a handsome guy. We chatted for hours.

We dated for about a year. Ricky came from a wealthy family and went on exotic trips for every break. I never went with because I work overtime during breaks since I don’t have schoolwork. During the entire summer break between our sophomore and junior years, he toured Europe with his family. I couldn’t go because of summer classes and was devastated he was leaving for so long.

When he returned, he was different. Distant. Distracted. Said he missed me but was always busy when I tried to see him. I should have recognized the signs, but I was naïve and thought we were in love. ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’ and all that bullshit is a myth that only exists in movies.

In reality, distance makes it easier to stray and easier to fall out of love. Unbeknownst to me, my good friend Sophia had also gone on a tour of Europe the entire summer. She stayed at the same hotels as Ricky. In the same room. He was avoiding me because he had fallen in love with her.Now, Sophia is pregnant with his baby.

It took me 41 days to get over him. 41 days of tears, potato chips, and running to make up for all the potato chips. Laura, Lucas, and Parker all tried to help. Laura kept trying to get me to hook up with a random stranger. Rebound fuck as she called it.

Lucas kept buying me potato chips and filled the pantry with every imaginable flavor. He even found popcorn flavored chips. Parker kept inventing elaborate ways to make Ricky suffer physically, reciting them to me in graphic detail, each one getting more and more complicated and gruesome.

On night 42, the three banded together and forced me to go to a bar. One of Lucas’ friends was in the band playing there, and they threatened to cut off my potato chip supply if I didn’t go. Cruel.

Two long island ice teas later, I was dancing on top of the bar trying to take my shirt off while the band sang me happybirthday. It wasn’t my birthday. We danced, laughed, and the guys drank embarrassing girly drinks for my benefit. Laura went home with some guy from her English class.

I woke up the next morning with a horrible headache, but no longer sad. Parker claims I puked up my feelings for my ex. I don’t remember puking, but I did remember how much fun I had. The kind of fun I never had with Ricky. He didn’t even like hockey or baseball. I missed all the warning signs that he wasn’t right for me. They hit me all at once like a baseball bat to the head.

While I am feeling better, I’m still drained. I’ve been sitting on the couch for a couple hours, only getting up for the bathroom or snacks. A kung-fu movie from the 90s just started when the doorbell rings. Not expecting anyone, I ignore it. It rings again. Dammit. I’m finally starting to get warm under these blankets. I fling them off, stomp to the door, and yank it open. On the other side is Sam holding up a paper bag with a grin on his face.

“Hiya beautiful. I brought you some soup.” I blink at him. “Still no voice? It’s okay. I know you’d probably say ‘thank you handsome, come on in.’” He says the last part with a high pitch. I can’t hold back a snicker. I step aside and gesture him inside.

Sam walks to the living room and sets the bag on the coffee table before turning around and sweeping me up in big hug. I stiffen at first. The hug is unexpected. The warmth of his arms around me feels comforting. Damn. This is a good hug.

This is just what I needed right now. I never want him to let go. And he doesn’t. The hug is lasting longer than a friend hug should. Dropping my arms, I step back. He does the same, then glances at the paused TV.

“Whatcha watching?” He asks.

“The One.” I croak whisper.

“She does speak.” He smirks. “Mind if I join you? I love this movie.”

Sam sits in the middle of the couch before letting me answer. I nod and sit down next to him. The lights are off and the sun is setting, making the room dark and romantic. This might not be a good idea.

The hug has left me overheated. My girly bits have snapped to attention. Our thighs are almost touching. I want them touching. No I don’t. Pretty sure thigh-touching is prohibited with guys your best friend claimed first.

---