Page 34 of When Ben Loved Tim
She nods. “Yup!”
“I love it. Let’s hear them.”
“‘Yes, I would love to eat lunch with you from now on.’That’s the first one. The second reads,‘Of course, that would be great, but you have to buy me lunch.’” Allison glances up. “That’s my favorite so far. The third option says,‘Maybe, I need to think about it, but I promise to answer soon.’And then the fourth and final says,‘No, I want to break your heart.’”
“Awww!” I say. “Choose that one!”
Allison laughs. “Boysarecute when they cry, so I’m tempted.”
“Why doesn’t he just ask you to be his girlfriend?”
Allison shrugs. “I don’t know, but it’s kind of sweet. I like being chased.”
“I hope Tim feels the same way,” I murmur. “So which option are you going for?”
“I’m not sure,” Allison replies. “What do you think?”
“Let me see.”
After she hands the note to me, I take out a pen.
Allison cocks an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Do you trust me?” I ask.
“No, of course not!”
She lunges for the note. We wrestle around on the bed while negotiating.
“I don’t want Ronnie to know that I showed it to you!”
“Why not? This is who we are. It’s better he finds out now!”
“Then let me answer the phone when Tim calls.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Are you?”
“Fine! It’s a deal.”
Allison stops trying to grab the note. Her hands are busy pinning my shoulders anyway. “You’ll let me talk to Tim?” she asks.
“Maybe,” I say noncommittally.
“Ben!”
I laugh. “Okay! Just don’t say anything crazy.”
“Just don’t write anything crazy!” she shoots back.
She finally lets me sit up again. I move to the dresser so I’ll have a flat surface to write on and check the option about him buying her lunch. Then I add a line to Ronnie’s handwriting:And you have to buy my best friend lunch too.
Allison laughs when reading this. “Why?”
I shrug. “Better to find out now if he’s a cheapskate.”
“What about Tim?”
