Page 2 of Fluffed and Folded

“I’m not going to do it until after I get these off, obviously.” He pointed to his braces.

“What?” Josie exclaimed. “Why not? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Everything,” he said. “Can you imagine going on a date with a twenty eight year old with braces?”

She nodded.

“Okay, you probably can, but you’re you.” He gave her shoulder a little shove. “Not everyone is so nice.” For a short while, Eli thought he had feelings for Josie. He’d known her since they were twelve, since she and Gabe started what would become a decade of will-we-or-won’t-we drama. Gabe had been his next-door neighbor, and they were friends in the way you sometimes are with neighbors, as if maybe you don’t necessarily like them and wouldn’t choose them, but they almost become family, by virtue of proximity and shared experience. There were a lot of things he didn’t like about Gabe, alot, but they would still be close friends for life, Eli was certain. Josie, though, remained in his life by choice. Sweet, funny, and gentle, she gave him hope that there were others out there like her. He’d neverhad feelings for her when they were kids, mostly because he always thought of her as belonging to Gabe. But when it became clear that she was over Gabe, who wasn’t actually good enough to tie her shoelaces, Eli began to wonder if he should try for something more with her. Even now he couldn’t discern if his feelings for her had been driven by comfort and familiarity or actual attraction. Not that it mattered because now she was with Tristan-The-Mighty who, though they’d made strides toward getting to know each other, still scared Eli more than a little, if he were being honest. Tristan tried to give off mellow vibes about Josie’s friendship with two guys, but it was clear to everyone that if they ever misstepped he would rip off their arms and feed them to an alligator he probably kept at his disposal for such an occasion.

“Eli, the kind of woman you’re looking for, the kind of woman you want, will not be deterred by something as inconsequential as braces. But that’s not what this is really about, is it?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, feeling a prickle of discomfort. Much as he loved Josie, she was a teller of truths. Maybe that was one of the reasons he loved her; she was as real as it got.

“I know you, and you’re not exactly a risk taker. When you get your braces off, you’re going to find another reason not to take this leap. Maybe it will be because you have a retainer or fill in the blank.” She shook her head as if tossing off irritation. “Don’t do that; don’t give yourself an out. I think this is a brilliant idea. Do it now.”

He sighed, knowing she was right, just like he knew she was right in high school when she took him aside and gently told him the flannel shirt he’d been wearing on repeat needed to go.You resemble a lumberjack, and not in the good way. Trust me, this is not the look you’re going for. Lose this shirt, and neverfind it again.She had whispered it, making certain her comment wasn’t overheard. That was how he knew she meant it for his good and wasn’t merely being mean. And after he got rid of the shirt, three people remarked on how much they’d hated it. That was why, when it came time for homecoming and he actually worked up the nerve to ask Jenna to go with him, he’d asked Josie to help him plan his outfit.

“It’s kind of humiliating,” he admitted.

“Why?” Josie asked.

He gave her the side eye. “Come on, you know why. It’s like admitting defeat, like I can’t handle meeting and mingling with other humans on my own, I have to get a computer to do it for me.”

“It’s not you, Eli; it’s everyone. Dating ishard. Meeting people isn’t easy. You’re reading too much into it. Think of it like a shortcut, the way we use computers to help with all our tasks now. I mean, if someone had to write a thirty-page essay, wouldn’t you judge them for using an old-timey typewriter instead of a computer? How is this different?”

“Josie,” Eli said, resting a companionable arm across her shoulders. “That’s probably the most illogical thing you’ve ever said, and that’s really saying something. But I see your point, and it’s a good one. I’ll try to be brave.” He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. The hard truth was that he was lonely. Even with his friends and family, great as they were, there was still a void there, one he waited a long time to acknowledge. He wanted a person,hisperson. If internet dating could help him find that, who was he to complain or feel embarrassed?

“I’m telling the boyfriend,” Gabe said, choosing that moment to tune in and pay attention.

“That will earn you lots of points,” Eli said, dropping his arm. “Truly, you and Tristan are well on your way to being besties.”

“I was here first, and I’m foundational. It doesn’t matter how he feels about me, only how I feel about him. And I’m still not certain he has my approval,” Gabe said, sounding as pompous as only Gabe could.

Eli and Josie made eye contact as if to say,Can you believe we still put up with this guy?

“Yes, Gabe, it’s all about you,” Josie assured him with full sarcasm. “My relationship with Tristan hangs on the linchpin of your permission.”

Gabe gave a little nod that lacked all self-awareness before dipping his head to his phone and texting his girlfriend again. “She’s so nuts. You’re lucky you’re single, Eli. Enjoy the freedom.”

“Did it occur to you that like attracts like and whoever Eli ends up with will not be insane?” Josie challenged.

Gabe pretended to think about that a few beats before shaking his head. “Nah, women be crazy. It’s how it is.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Josie assured Eli, giving his arm a pat. “Whoever you end up with will be wonderful. This will be great, you’ll see.”

Over her head, Gabe wound his finger around his ear and mouthed,Women be crazy.

At the moment, Eli felt torn, not certain which one he believed. Obviously he wanted to listen to Josie, but she tended to see the world rosier than it was. And in Eli’s limited experience, women were indeed insane. On the other hand, if he didn’t put himself out there, he couldn’t gain anything. And now that he’d mentioned it to Josie, she wouldn’t give him a choice. Maybe he knew that, and it was why he’d told her, because he needed a push.

When they reached the parking lot, she snagged his shirt and gave it a tug. “Have coffee with me, I have something I need to discuss with you.”

“That’s sus,” Gabe said, eyeing them.

“So is your use of slang,” Josie returned, and Eli snorted a laugh.

“All I’m saying is, I wouldn’t want my girlfriend to have coffee with Elialone,” Gabe said.

“That’s because she’s cheated on you three times since you started dating,” Josie reminded him.

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