Page 106 of Best Frenemies

I wait for their outlandish reaction, preparing myself for them to shout things like “I told you so” and “If you’d have listened to us…” But it never comes.

“I know you won’t believe me right now, but I’m telling you, dude. Thisalwayshappens.”

Kline and Wes nod in agreement with Thatch, their faces serious.

“Have no fear,” Cap states. “We got your back, bro.”

“First things first,” Thatch announces and puts two elbows to the table. “You’re going to have to lay out all the facts. All the details on your current situation and how it came to be. We’re certified deep divers, but even we can’t make it back up from depth without the proper equipment.”

Cap, Wes, and Kline all nod in agreement.

“What?” I drop my head into my hands. “Truth be told, guys, I’m so fucked in the head, I don’t even think I understand your question.”

“This might be worse than I thought,” Kline muses, taking out his phone to text his wife. “I’ll text Georgia and tell her I’m going to be a little while.”

Before I know it, all three other men are following suit.

And just like that, this investor meeting turns into me talking about Katy Dayton. I tell them everything.

How she used to hate me, our Destin trip and how she had to go to the ER, how we ended up having sex, and how I gave up my flight to drive her back to New York.

I tell them how we started a little fling once we got back from Florida, but how it’s turned into an almost nightly thing of us hanging out and having sleepovers, and how she’s the most beautiful, interesting, and amazing woman I’ve ever known. Our night with Gracie and the Career Day disaster. And how today, I ran over to her place to see if she was okay and she was acting weird, and somehow, everything went to shit.

Most importantly, I tell them that I’m ass over head in love with the woman, and there’s nothing more I want in the world than to spend the rest of my life with her.

By the time I’m done, all four men are staring at me with stupid grins on their faces.

“What?” I ask, and Thatch is the first to comment.

“The story of love never gets old.”

I don’t have a response to that, and Cap is the next to speak.

“And the male leads never get any quicker on the uptake either. Seems like you’ve been in love with her for a really long time, my guy.”

“Just so you know, now isn’t the time to avoid it,” Kline says. “Now is the time to face it head on.”

I look at him, and then I look down at my hands. I think about Katy and everything we’ve been through and how I’ve never felt this way about anyone. How I feel like I’d walk through fucking fire just to make her mine.

“I love her,” I admit out loud again. “I’m madly in love with her, and I’ll do anything to make her mine.”

“Bingo bango!” Thatch exclaims. “You need a plan, dude. A big romantic gesture kind of plan.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you need to show Katy that you’re not the impulsive, inconsiderate, anticommitment bastard she once thought you were,” he explains. “You need to show her that, when it comes to her, you’re all-motherfluffing-in. A man who wants to commit to the woman he loves.”

“Hell yeah, you do!” Cap exclaims. “Otherwise, Ms. Katy will continue to think you just want some kind of meaningless fling with her. Talk is cheap. You need to show her that she’s it for you. She’s the one. She’s your lady, and you are not only in love with her, but you see a future with her.”

I see a future with her, all right. This woman has becomethe one. The end game. Theeverything.

I don’t want to wake up without her lying beside me. And don’t want to go to bed without kissing her good night. I don’t want a future without her in it.

When I look around the table, all four men are looking at me like I’ve just told them I can make them one trillion dollars in the next five minutes.

“You’re on the right path,” Kline states. “It’s written all over your face.”

“Fluffing right, Special K,” Thatch agrees. “You just need to take one more giant leap forward and figure out how you’re going to show her how you feel.”

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