Page 36 of The One I Need
“Maybe I am,” I say, trying to divert. “Maybe I have a fuck buddy.”
This makes him laugh. “Just hearing those words out of your mouth is ridiculous. I have fuck buddies. You do not.”
That’s very true. Our group has been, and is, so different when it comes to talking about the women in our life. I, until now, tell the guys everything. Wes doesn’t normally hold back, but then again, he’s only seriously dated his ex-wife and now Betsy. As for Shane…for all we know the man hasn’t been with a woman in his adult life. I highly doubt that, but no one actually knows.
Then there’s Simon. The man who will never get married, will never call anyone a girlfriend, and dare I say, is a man whore. I love him, but I’m going to have to call it like I see it.
“Okay, so maybe I don’t have a fuck buddy,” I say. “But I’m not seeing anyone. I promise you.”
“Then what is it?” His voice is now serious and filled with concern. Oh shit, now he’s serious. “Frankly, the longer you keep quiet about whatever has been going on with you, the more we’re going to ask. Between the good moods, and you disappearing for days at a time, it’s starting to worry us.”
“Y’all have talked about it?”
He gives me a look like that was the dumbest question I could have asked. “Yes. We had to start a new group chat without you. I don’t like using it, so I’m going to need you to fess up so we can go back to a world where we only have two chats, the one with Amelia, and the one without. That’s the world I’m comfortable in.”
I let out a breath, and it has nothing to do with the pace I’m taking right now on this elliptical. He’s right. I’ve pulled a complete one-eighty with my friends since I met Izzy. I can see where that can be worrisome.
Should I tell them about her? I mean, there’s no reason to keep her a secret. She’s just a woman I’ve become friends with. That boundary was drawn last night. We’re not dating, and I won’t be proposing to her any time soon. I’ve never repeated proposals and that’s not a bridge I’m ready to cross. Then the intervention would definitely need to happen.
So why not come clean? It would be easy enough to say that I met someone who I’m seeing as a friend. Is that why I can’t bring myself to talk about her even now? Because she’s put me in the friend zone?
“Okay, there is someone,” I say. “But we’re just friends. That’s all. I promise.”
Simon stops his elliptical so he can stare me square in the eyes. “That’s it?”
I nod. “Yes. I did ask her out, but she was up front with me about not wanting anything romantic. We’re just friends.”
Yes I could have told him more. I could have told him about the wedding. And the night of the wedding. But this is all he needs to know. And in turn, what the rest of the group will know as soon as he sends off the text message I know he’s dying to send.
“Who is she?”
I shake my head. “I promise you, I’ll introduce her to everyone soon. Just not yet. I kind of want to keep this between her and me for a little while.”
Simon nods. “I can respect that. You know I’m all about keeping women’s identities secret for as long as possible.”
This makes me laugh. I have a feeling he and Izzy are going to hit it off.
When the time’s right. And the time isn’t right. Not yet.
“Thanks, man,” I say, stopping my machine. “I appreciate you.”
“No worries,” he says as we start walking back to the locker room. “What are best friends for?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “Maybe I should ask Shane?”
“Low blow, man. Low fucking blow.”
Chapter13
Oliver
“Hello?”
“Hey there.”
Izzy doesn’t say anything back for at least five seconds. I know because I had enough time to grab all of the ingredients I needed from my refrigerator and take them back to my kitchen counter.
“Hello?” I ask, wondering if the call dropped.
