Page 27 of Thanks for the Love
“Holy crap, that TV is huge. What size is it?”
“Eighty-five inches,” he brags.
“A Tesla and eighty-five-inch TV?” I tease. “My brother and you would be besties.”
“Awesome. Yeah, I’m kind of bougie.”
I giggle. “You said it, not me.”
“I have expensive taste, just like my mother did,” he says. “But I work hard for everything I have.”
Hmm … did his mother pass away? It occurs to me that I don’t know much about his family except that they’ve lived in this house for years. I want to ask him, but I’m so emotionally drained right now.
He continues to flip through the channels until he comes toFriends.
“How aboutFriends?” he asks. “It’s my favorite show.”
I smile. “I love it.”
“Oh, it’s the one where they’re in Vegas,” he says excitedly. He drops the remote on the couch and walks to the kitchen. I reposition my body and pull my legs under me. A few minutes later the sound and smell of popcorn begins to fill the air.
“Do you want a water or a soda?” he calls. “I also have beer and wine.”
Ugh. The last thing I need is alcohol.
“Water is fine.”
I lean my head back and stare at the TV. I didn’t know what to expect when I came here, but this couldn’t be more perfect. My roommates would probably want to discuss every little detail and I’m so done.
A few minutes later Theo returns with two water bottles and a bowl of popcorn. He opens a cabinet under the TV and pulls out a fluffy white blanket. He unfolds it and drapes it over me.
“I’ll be right back. I’m just going to put a shirt on.”
Bummer.
There’s a part of me that wants to burst into tears again, but in a good way. I pull the blanket up to my chest. Theo is extremely considerate, and it makes me wonder how the man is still single.
When he returns, he’s wearing a blue T-shirt. It fits him just right, so I have no complaints. He sits next to me, but not too close. I hand him the bowl of popcorn.
“Are you sure you don’t need to go to sleep? I can leave.”
He reaches into the bowl and grabs a handful of popcorn.
“Nope.”
The only sounds in the room are from the crunch of popcorn and the TV, but the silence isn’t uncomfortable at all. If anything, it’s the most serene I’ve felt in months.
“Who’s your favorite character on this show?” he asks finally.
I take a sip of water to clear my throat.
“Hmm—I really like Phoebe. What about you?”
“Ross.”
I snort. “What? Why? No one likes Ross.”
He shrugs. “Exactly. I feel bad for him.”
