Page 201 of The Single Dads Club
“I always do. That’s why you keep me around,” she said with a smug smile. “Don’t get me wrong, though. I still love you.”
“Good, because you’re wrong,” I said.
She laughed. “Is that so? So, you’re going to tell me the Mason thing that has you lying in bed like an invalid has nothing to do with the fact that you maybe actually like him and he tried to get close to you?”
“I let him get close to me,” I said. “We…did some stuff that was—”
Scary.
“Romantic,” I finished.
“Okay, so did he then introduce you to his toenail collection? Or punch you in the face?”
“Well, no…”
“Did he drop to one knee and ask you to marry him? Because that might be rushing things and that I could see,” she said, taking a big bite of a chocolate glazed donut and chewing while she waited for my response.
“Not exactly.” But it was close. “He offered me a drawer.”
“A drawer?”
“Yeah, you know, like to leave stuff at his place or whatever,” I said, trying not to fidget as she stared me down.
“Oh my God. Did you call the police? Get a restraining order?” she demanded, eyes wide in faux shock.
“Okay, okay, I hear it now as I say it out loud. Not that big of a deal,” I admitted, which sent her off into a fit of laughter.
“Not a big deal at all. Especially since you agreed to spend some time with him and slept with him. Which only goes to prove my point that you have commitment issues. After all, you’re lying in your own bed instead of his right now.”
“It’s complicated,” I tried again.
“It’s not. You like him but you’re doing what you always do. You know, I’ve been handling this with kid gloves for a long time now, but considering everything with the baby, I think it’s time for some tough love, kid.”
“Meaning what?” I asked, inwardly cringing at what I knew would come next.
“It’s time to face facts. You are not your mother.”
“I know that,” I shot back reflexively.
“Do you?” she challenged me. “Because last I checked, you were still emotionally closed off. You know, just because you love someone doesn’t mean you have to be in constant fear of losing them or that, if you do, you will never be able to grieve and find a new normal again. What happened with your dad—”
“I get your point,” I said. “But I don’t agree with you. It might look that way, maybe, from the outside, but I don’t think that’s the problem. I just don’t like being rushed.”
“Fine, you want to prove you’re not closed off? Let’s take it to theLady’s Journal.” She whipped her phone out of her pocket and thumbed the screen menacingly.
I raised my eyebrows. “What’s a magazine going to tell us about whether I’m emotionally available? I mean, you’re an amazing friend. You know that I’m there for you emotionally, right? I’m not a person who doesn’t know how to love or something.”
“For me, yes.” Mandy nodded. “But with men, it’s another story, and last month’s personality quiz, ‘Are You an Ice Princess?,’ is going to prove it.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Really? An ice princess?”
“Their words, not mine.”
“Gee, thanks. I’m starting to think you only brought the donuts to soften the blow here.” I dug in the brown bag and pulled out a glazed confection, then closed my eyes to focus on the sugary goodness in the hope of blocking out the carbohydrate carrying torture I’d just invited inside my private sanctuary.
“If I did, then it only goes to show how my master plan is working.” She cleared her throat. “Okay, now, question one.When was the last time you told someone you loved them?” she asked.
“The last time I called my mother. So, a week ago,” I said with not a little triumph.
