Page 127 of That First Date

Both of them remain silent, their eyes bouncing from each other and back to me. “Yay?” Oliver unenthusiastically cheers.

“He’s sending me away for a week to Austin. It’s the last thing I want to do with all the shit going down with Avery.”

“You still haven’t filled us in on that,” Logan says.

Oliver throws his arms out in the air to signify the place we’re in. “What better place than our Wednesday night therapy sessions at Moores.”

That causes me to grin. “Yeah, these do feel like unofficial therapy sessions lately, huh?”

“You all are so damn twisted up with women,” Oliver starts. “I don’t get it, honestly. Why would anyone want to deal with that? I’m team single for life.” He pounds his chest like a caveman with his fist.

“Didn’t you fall in love on your trip home from Montana?” I quip.

“That’s neither here nor there.” Oliver shakes his head. “I got over that quick.”

“Right,” Logan scoffs.

“We’re talking about Marc here. Now spill.”

I blow out a sigh. “So, yeah… I got the company. I have to go to Austin, and I asked Avery if she wanted to come with me. But she asked for some space. She needs time to process her shit.”

“Either she loves you or she doesn’t.” Oliver shrugs. “Save yourself the heartbreak. Hashtag team single.”

Logan slaps the back of his hand on his upper arm. “Shut up, Ollie.”

“You laugh, asshole. But someday, a girl is going to walk into your life and bring you to your knees.”

“I wouldn’t mind dropping to my knees for her. It would bring megreatpleasure.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

“Cheers to that.” Logan raises a glass.

“Where the hell is Thomas when I need him?”

Logan and Oliver both shift in their seats, straightening their shoulders as if they are channeling their inner Thomas.

“I can’t stand you two.”

“Okay, let's be serious then,” Logan starts. “Avery needs space?”

“She’s scared. I get that. Really, I do. It just tears me apart. What if space makes her decide that she doesn’t want this? That she doesn’t want a relationship? You two are going to laugh, but if I’m being honest… I can’t live without her. I can’t sleep without her. I can’t function without her.”

“Damn.”

“You can say that again.” I bring my gaze to Logan.

“Damn,” he repeats.

“Alright, here’s my advice.” Oliver claps his hands. “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

“Solid advice, Ollie.” Logan laughs.

“Hear me out. You’re sitting here, tearing yourself apart for what? Something you can’t control? This is one of those situations where you just have to sit back and see what happens. For all you know, when you come back from Austin, Avery is going to be ready to give you one hundred percent. You’re gonna end up looking back at this and being annoyed at how worried you were for nothing.”

“You’re right.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. But you have to be optimistic. If you want any sort of chance with her, you have to agree to her wishes. Right now, she wants some space. She didn’t tell you it was over. She didn’t tell you to lose her number. She didn’t tell you to go fuck yourself. There’s still hope there. She believes it, and now you need to believe it too.”

I can’t help but smile at Oliver. “For someone who’s hellbent on being single for life, you sure do have some pretty sound advice.”

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