Page 36 of A Me and Him Thing
Quinn.
We haven’t spoken since my visit to her house in August. Not because we’re angry or upset with each other. She was willing to forgive and forget because she’s such a Melanie. Things are just different now. We’re not best friends anymore. That’s on me. I ruined our relationship.
There’s one thing I’ve learned. The heart has the ability to let go and start anew, but awkward is the unwelcome houseguest that will never leave. I’ll kick him out some day, but for now he’s here to stay.
I clickACCEPTbefore I lose the chance to talk with Quinn. I miss her every single day of my life.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Bree. Sorry to call so early. I didn’t want to wait until later and bother you during your workday.”
“Hey, Quinn, no problem. It’s good to hear your voice.” It really is. I long to have a heart-to-heart with her, tell her all about Ren.
“Yours too,” she says, sounding a little subdued.
I remind myself that she called me. I have no reason to feel uncomfortable. On second thought, maybe there’s a million reasons, but I can ignore them if she can.
“Are you at work already?”
“Just arrived. You caught me in the parking lot.”
I hear Josie and Jordyn in the background, talking and giggling. The sounds remind me how early their day starts. Compared with Quinn’s schedule, I probably slept in. I hear the muffled sounds of cartoons in the background. I can picture the homey scene in my head with scary detail.
I sometimes wake up in the morning thinking I’m in the guestroom at 5201 Beachcomber Lane. Often, I’m disappointed when I realize I’m not. Until I think of Ren.
“Do you have a few minutes to chat?” she asks.
“Sure.” Oh hesitancy, leave my voice. “I came in early today, but everything I want to get done can wait.” I’d much rather talk to Quinn.
“Okay, as long as this isn’t an inconvenient time.”
How I’ve missed my sweet Melanie. My heart is tripping all over the place at her attempt to reach out to me. I hope we can be friends again.
“Not at all. I’d love to talk. How are you feeling?”
“Really good now that the morning sickness has passed. I finally feel like me again.”
“That’s good. I’m glad.” So I’m a little stilted. It’ll get better with time.
“How’s life with you? Are you still seeing Ren?” Quinn asks.
“Yep. About three months now and we’re still going strong. I’ve been dying to tell you about him.”
“Go for it. Tell me everything.”
I don’t need much prompting. “He’s great, Quinn. So patient. He’s moving slowly, which is just the pace I need. I feel like we have this amazing friendship. I’ve never started a relationship with a man with such a strong foundation. We’ve fallen inlikewith each other, and it’s an amazing feeling.” I’m positive it’s love for me, but I’m not diving in too fast this time around. Baby steps.
“He sounds respectful. I like that.”
“Me too. He’s a busy man, but he manages to fit me into his schedule. I love the way he has tucked me into his life, like I’m important to him, a permanent fixture. We do lunch on Wednesdays, taste testing at his restaurant on Thursdays, dinner at his restaurant and late-night pancakes on Fridays. On Saturdays, we go running together, then he gives me hopeless cooking lessons. Our day is cut short when he has to be at Exodus by late afternoon.”
Yep, three months of the exact same schedule with not one single variation. Every single week without a hiccup. When I rehash it out loud, it seems strange. Is it strange?
No, he’s just busy. I like it. It works for us. Either that, or we’re really boring.
“People tend to put the most time into what they love. That says a lot about him.”
The thought makes me frown, but I dismiss it, reminding myself for the hundredth time that Ren is a busy man. “My so-called cooking lessons have turned into Ren cooking for me every Saturday afternoon. While he’s not a professional chef, he knows his way around a kitchen. He makes amazing food for me, and I tend to live off it for the next few days. I know he makes a lot on purpose, so I’ll have leftovers. It’s sweet.”
