Page 115 of My Debacle with De Lorenzo

“One small consolation. So, when did you know you were in love with me?”

“Fricken months ago.”

“And you’re only telling me now?”

He spares me a sideways glance. “Are you serious? Do you honestly think I would tell you first? You would’ve cringed, then hit me with a cheese pun.”

“I wouldn’t have.”

“Think about it.”

“Okay, I would have...but that’s my entire personality now, thanks to you.”

We continue talking, enjoying the drive and after-effects of an incredible afternoon. As usual, he takes me back to his house. Mable greets us as soon as we walk through the door. After a light lunch, we head upstairs and dohomework. Not together, though. He uses the desk and I use his bed. We realized quite quickly that we don’t get much done when we’re together because we’re easily distracted...by each other. We amended the rules of engagement and now have a strict no touching policy until all homework is complete. It’s the only reason why my grades have improved, because I have never plowed through schoolwork so fast.

It takes a few Google searches, but I figure out what’s going on in my biology assignment. Apparently, it’s the nitrogen in the upper atmosphere that is converted to radioactive carbon-14 by cosmic rays. That carbon dating is what becomes useful to an archeologist in determining the age of a bone. Who knew? Still not going to help me any in life, but for the few minutes that I retain this information, I feel kinda smart.

Once I’m done, I walk down the stairs to meet him at his desk. He’s still engrossed in his chemistry homework. His phone rings and he barely spares it a glimpse before tapping the screen to answer the call.

“Watson,” he says, switching it to speakerphone so he can scribble as he talks.

“How’re you doing, Holmes?”

He smiles. “I’m good. And to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“Oh, I just wanted to hear your sexy voice.”

An awkward glance is cast my way, but he doesn’t respond.

“I’m kidding, Holmes,” Francesca says playfully when she senses the loaded silence. “So, I’ve been reading up on WesternU and they have a great program where I could start working with animals and other veterinarians from my first semester. I’m considering applying to do my DVM there.”

“Yeah, go for it. That’s always been your dream.”

“There are so many benefits I can’t even explain all of them, especially the clinical experience I could gain over all four years. Everything about this place just sounds so amazing. And the best part is, I’m far, but not too far from my parents, and I’ll only be about twenty-five minutes away from you.” She giggles. “I know. I checked. So, we just have to find a good ice cream place there and we can go out for ice cream every Friday night like we used to. On the bad Friday nights, we could hang out at your house and?”

“We’ll see how it goes,” is his non-committal response.

Cautious brown eyes meet mine, and he stares at me for a long time as a blanket of tension settles over the room, smothering all the excitement I’d felt earlier. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little insecure about Francesca. From the picture that pops up on his phone every time she calls, I can see that she’s beautiful and sexy in that unassuming,I-don’t-even-know-how-hot-I-amkinda way. Add to that the fact that she wants to become a vet, which shows that she’s smart and loves animals and knows exactly what she wants in life. Then let’s spice it up by throwing in the tiny, minute detail that Dylan admitted he still loves her.

I’m not sure if he can sense my discomfort, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me. “Franny, I’m gonna call you back later.”

“Sure.”

He hangs up, then sits back in his chair and waits for me to say something. When I remain quiet, he decides to broach the subject. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Let’s not be those people, alright? I know something is wrong. You know I don’t entertain crazy, so let’s not pretend that this phone call didn’t bother you.”

“Do you still have feelings for her...more than a friend, I mean?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “No.”

“Well, I think she still has feelings for you, and it’s like she’s just waiting for you to – I don’t know – be available again. I’m not comfortable with your friendship with her, especially because she’s not just your friend, she’s your ex-girlfriend.”

“Bella, Fran and I are over. I let you read my messages; you listen to our conversations. You know nothing is going on between us, so I don’t get why our friendship bothers you so much.”

“Because it does! You would be the same if the roles were reversed.”

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