Page 2 of Loving You

Oh, here we go. This conversation,again.

And don’t even get me started on “Quinny.”

Ick.

I hate to sound ungrateful, because I truly feel like they all say this out of love, but it’s exhausting to hear them talk about this at every engagement.

“Oh, let’s not talk about anything but Andy and Sully. I’m so happy for you,” I say. It’s Andy’s night, not mine.

“But you’re the last one of us not engaged,” Ashley goes on. “What about Sully’s brother, Danny? He’s always fighting for your attention.”

I ignore everything about her statement. Danny and me … ugh, I hate being wine drunk. That is a night I never want to relive again, and Danny needs to accept that I told him friends is all we could ever be.

“Don’t you want this?” Chancy asks.

“Not to mention, it gets lonely traveling alone,” Ashley adds, and the other girls nod, choosing this moment to add to the conversation.

“Going home to someone really is the best feeling.”

“And the late-night phone calls.”

“Oh, and the good morning text messages.”

“Yes, I agree.”

“Come one, Quinny, don’t you think that having a guy in your life to share these memories with would be fun?” Andy asks, stopping the entire group before we part ways to our rooms.

Instantly, all eyes are on me.

I’m like a walking contradiction, because although I have a social media following with millions of followers, I hate when the attention is on me.

“Yeah, to sleep next to and wake up next to and talk to all day and night and?—”

“I do have that,” I blurt out and then cross my arms to cover the good bumps that break out on my skin. On the beach, my bikini and sarong was fitting, but in this hallway it’s like the dead of winter in Wyoming. Or maybe it’s just the thick weight of the lie I just told.

“You do?” Andy asks with the biggest smile on her face.

I nod as bile creeps its way into my throat.

God, I hate lying, but let’s be real, once this trip is over, I won’t see these girls for at least six months, and I can easily have endured a breakup in that time.

“That’s amazing!” She wraps her arms around me. “Why haven’t we met him?”

That’s a good question. I force another smile and think of why they haven’t met this new imaginary boyfriend of mine that gives me all the gooey feelings.

“He doesn’t like to travel,” I say because it feels like a perfect explanation.

They all pause in shock.

“He doesn’t?”

I shake my head.

“Why not?”

Sheesh. I should have known the questions wouldn’t stop.

“Because it’s nice to date someone who is the complete opposite of me,” I say, proud of my quick thinking.

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