Page 24 of Friendshipped
Lexi looks at me. Is she uncomfortable? For a minute. I thought I saw her S.O.S facial expression, but she’s doing this willingly.
“Generous,” Jayme says.
“Guys, I can’t say I’m generous,” Lexi says. “That’s just embarrassing. It feels like bragging.”
“You have to state four strengths. Everyone does it,” Felicia explains. “I’m putting generous and intelligent. That should weed out guys with a low IQ.”
Lexi momentarily winces and then laughs nervously.
“Lexi’s hilarious,” I say without taking time to screen my thoughts. “And cute.”
All three women stare at me like I recently grew a second head.
Felicia breaks the stunned silence. “Cute? Wow.”
“Yeah, right. I guess you can’t say that about yourself. Plus, cute sounds …” I backpedal.
“You think I’m cute?” Lexi says with a note of awe in her voice.
“You are,” Jayme says, saving me from sitting alone in the spotlight of awkwardness any longer.
Lexi blushes, only proving my point more. She’s stunning. I suppress the urge to brush my fingers across her pinkened cheeks.
I’ve got to get out of here.
I pull my phone out from my pocket. “Oh,” I say. “Rob’s home. I told him I’d meet him for a bit today. I’ll have to take a raincheck on profile building.”
“Okay,” Lexi says, the look of confusion still on her face.
“See you guys,” I say as I walk out the door.
I’m not lying. Rob is home and I did tell him I’d come by. I can’t sit here one more minute trying to help Lexi plan the perfect way to market herself to strange men so my life can implode when she finally finds her match.
* * *
I spendthe afternoon with Rob, sawing wood pieces and helping him assemble this insane maze he’s building in an attempt to coax the local squirrels to run through tubes and compartments, solving problems as they go. He’s right, his YouTube followers will eat this stuff up.
We don’t talk about Lexi or my predicament. We work until the sun sets and then Rob feeds me as a thank you for helping him out.
Right before I leave, Rob says, “You’ve got to give Lexi a chance to outright accept or reject you romantically. There’s got to be a way to do that without ruining your friendship. Otherwise, you’ll never know.”
I nod. He’s right. I don’t know how, but I need to get a more definitive answer as to whether Lexi could feel anything for me beyond friendship and with her putting together an online dating profile, time is ticking. I’m relatively sure I’m not on her radar when it comes to romance, but the not knowing might just kill me.
“Want to borrow my confetti cannon?” he offers as I’m heading to my car.
“Why?” I ask.
“Everything’s better with confetti.”
“I’ll pass this time,” I say, shaking my head and smiling.
Rob’s a mad scientist, but he’s still one of my closest friends and I love that he’s got my back, confetti cannon and all.
When I get home, Lexi’s sitting on the porch steps. I park my car and walk over to her, tossing my keys lightly as I go.
“Where’s Jayme?” I ask.
“I drove her home,” she says. “She said to thank you. She feels much better and wanted to spend the rest of the weekend at her own place.”
