Page 44 of Right in Front of You

“Why? You were always a wonderful friend, and now you’re a man and have so much to offer.”

“Thanks, Jo. I just want her friendship back, and then we’ll see what happens.”

“Then just. Be. You.” She smiled. How had a girl like Joelle slipped through my fingers? How was the universe being fair when it dealt us the friendship card? We lived together, raised her daughter, got along like two peas in a pod — yet she would always remain my best friend.

“Are you going to go back to Nick?” I asked.

“I don’t know.”

She might not have known it, but I did. I knew she would. Keeping those two apart was like trying to separate two-ton magnets with your mind.

“What does your heart tell you?”

“It wants to jump out of my chest and run to him. I want him to hold me and tell me that everything’s going to be okay. I want him to get to know Mackenzie and try to catch up on all the years he’s missed.”

“He doesn’t know about her yet, does he?”

“No, I think he just assumed she was yours.”

“Cool.” I said. For once in my life I felt like I had the upper hand with Jo. A temporary one, because she’d eventually tell him the truth, but still.

“Not cool. He needs to know that he’s the father.”

“Then do it. Run to him and don’t look back, because you don’t often get a second chance at love.”

She leaned into me, and her words, though slurred, still sounded sexier than ever. “You should listen to some of your own advice.”

“Thanks, Jo.” She rocked from left to right on her feet, then back again, and blinked in slow motion. “I think we should call it a night, or you won’t be able to decorate a single cake tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right.”

“Words I will never get tired of hearing. Come on.” I took her under my arm and let her body weight fall onto mine, guiding her upstairs. By the time we made it to the bed, Jo’s eyes were half closed as she plummeted. The wise thing to do at this point was to undress her and put her in her pajamas, but the wiser thing was to let her sleep in her clothes and avoid seeing any part of her skin. Not when I was semi-drunk and thinking about Molly.

I pulled the covers over her body, kissed her forehead, and went to take a cold shower. If I wanted a real chance with Molly, my sack had to be emptied before I saw her — otherwise there’d be no control over what came out of my mouth.

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