Page 71 of Thanks for the Memories
“So do I,” Gabby agrees.
“Now where does this leave things with the chef?” Lila asks. “Which reminds me, what happened after I left for work this morning?”
Breakfast with Dante and Bethany seems like a million years ago. I give her all the awkward details about how uncomfortable it was and how I was looking for excuses to leave the kitchen.
“Bethany’s a real piece of work,” Lila says. “I know you’ve known her forever, but something just doesn’t add up. I have a special radar that can sense when someone is a phony, and it’s been going off since she arrived. I still can’t believe Paul has fallen for it. I need to have a talk with him.”
“Which reminds me, Bethany asked if she could stay here until she finds a place,” I tell her. “She’s said she’s willing to pay, but I really don’t think her being here it’s a good idea.”
Lila presses her lips together. “Yeah. I’d rather keep the guest room open, and I feel like we have a good energy the way things are with just the three of us.”
I nod. “I agree.”
“She’s welcome to stay a few days, maybe a week,” she offers. “But I’m not interested in another roommate.”
Gabby nods in agreement. “I told her we’d help her find a place. That’s one of the benefits of having friends who are the best realtors in Miami.”
Lila holds up her donut. “Absolutely.”
“Did Dante say anything before he left?” Lila asks.
I’m not surprised that the conversation has shifted back to my personal life.
“It was awkward,” I say. “He was quiet, so I’m sure he caught on to my frustration especially after I mentioned Bethany not waking me up.”
“I still don’t believe her,” Lila adds.
I nod. “I know. But she’ll be gone on Friday.”
At least she won’t be staying in our house, but the question still remains if she will actually go through with moving to Miami.
After my roommates and I finish talking, I go to my room to start getting ready for bed. It’s after midnight, and Bethany isn’t back yet. Good for her. I sincerely hope she’s finding her own friends to make her transition easier. When I came to Miami, I only had Kennedy and Evan, and it was difficult at first, especially because Bethany wasn’t talking to me at the time. It’ll be so much easier for her if she comes here with a support system.
The sound of my phone buzzing from my nightstand startles me, and I dive to grab it. A big silly grin spreads across my face when I see Jeremy’s number.
Thanks for hanging out with me tonight, Blondie. I forgot to ask if you’d have dinner with me this weekend.
I surge of excitement runs through my body. I don’t hesitate to respond.
Thank you for bringing me donuts. Bethany leaves on Friday morning, so my calendar is completely open.
I nibble on my fingernail while I wait for him to text back.
Friday night? That is IF you can wait that long to see me.
I giggle. It’s refreshing to see that Jeremy is still being himself even after our interaction tonight. I guess that’s a good thing about being friends first.
I think I’ll survive. Friday is perfect.
I pull on a sweatshirt and crawl into bed. While lying in bed, I stare at the ceiling for what feels like several minutes. I haven’t had a chance to think all of this through yet. What’s it going to be like at the office now that Jeremy and I have taken our friendship to the next level? I don’t want things to change and what if it doesn’t work out in the end? These are factors I have to consider.
The sound of the front door slamming pulls me out of my thoughts. I hop out of bed and run to see what the commotion is.
I meet Bethany on her way to the guest room.
“Hi, how was your night?”
“Hey,” she says, a bit of annoyance in her voice. “It was fine.”
