Page 71 of Fun Together
“I’m right here, you know.”
“Well, the night isn’t over yet,” Rett says, giving me a very intense look that insinuates something I can’t figure out. “I need to go, though. Eli, will you make sure she’s okay?”
“I’m fine!” I just want to put on comfy clothes and wash my face.
On her way out, Rett gives Cameron a final command to leave, and Chris follows shortly after. I give them half-hearted goodbyes as the door shuts behind them.
Eli stays to help me clean up. We clean in silence for a few minutes before he asks, “Are you disappointed?”
“Kind of,” I admit.
“Do you actually like either of them?”
Does that even matter at this point? I would have accepted just a whisper of validation for bringing out the vintage Levis out for this occasion.
“Iwantto like one of them.”
“I don’t think either of them is right for you.”
“Why not?”
“Well Chris is a good guy, but he’s too shy for you.”
“You’re the one who introduced me to him. You said he was nice. And then he just wanted to talk to Dani all night.”
“He is nice, but I think you two are too alike. He was probably talking to Dani because she’s more outgoing.” He whistles to the tune of “Californication” while bringing the chip bowl in from the living room. “And Cameron is just full of himself.”
“What’s the deal with Dani? Why didn’t you two come together?”
He scratches his beard. “We agreed to meet here, but I was running late, looking at an apartment.” He picks up a couple of beer cans from the coffee table. “Also, Dani and I aren’t . . . a thing.”
“What do you mean?”
He tosses the cans into the recycling bin. “On our first date she told me she’s already seeing someone. But she’s cool and we get along as friends. I invited her tonight when you told me Cameron was coming, and I didn’t want to be the odd man out.” He doesn’t sound disappointed, but there’s some kind of underlying sadness in his tone.
I wash the chip bowl out in the sink. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out with her. Romantically, I mean.”
“Are you okay?” he asks, grabbing the dish towel and taking the bowl from me to dry it.
“Oh yeah. I guess I was kind of forcing it the whole night.” I laugh humorlessly. I am much more disappointed than I let on because there’s no need to burden Eli with my insecurities right now. It sucks having the first two guys you pursue post-breakup end up not working out.
“For what it’s worth, I think you can do better.”
We finish cleaning up and he walks over to where the IKEA box is leaned against the wall. “Hey, you bought a dresser.”
“Yeah, I’ve had it for a while. Just haven’t felt like putting it together.”
“You want some help?”
“You mean right now?”
“Sure, why not?”Sure, why not?His favorite question.
“No, you don’t have to help with that.”
Everything hits me all at once about tonight. The stupid fun list leading me to have the lamest “party” ever. My stupid uncomfortable pants. Rett not understanding that things like this aren’t easy for me. And then there’s Eli, always trying to help. “I can put it together myself.”
“Why won’t you let me help?”
