Page 14 of Just Friends

“Don’t worry about it,” he responds with a wave of his delicate wrist.

Just as he’s about to round the corner, I call out, “You didn’t even tell us your name.”

“My name is Destiny, but you can call me Fate.” And then he disappears behind the lockers.

Adam moves next to me and crosses his arms over his chest, looking at the spot the small, naked man just vacated. He whispers, “I think we just met a ghost.”

It’sonlytwoo’clock,and my brain is fried. My blue light glasses have nothing on my workload today. Looking up from my spot in the corner booth at my favorite coffee shop, I stare longingly at the analog clock hanging on the wall. I wanted to paint today, but the freelance graphic design project I just took on is taking much more work than I expected. I honestly love my job, but sometimes doing art for other people drains all of my creative energy.

“Want another matcha?” Lucy, my best friend, yells from behind the counter. She’s the owner and loves me enough to let me work from this corner booth every day since sitting at home alone gives me hives.

I smile, my eyes crinkling at the edges. “Yes. Iced, please.”

The shop is in its usual after-lunch lull. There will be another flurry of activity before closing time at four, but for right now, she probably has an hour to clean and do inventory.

And make me another free drink.

A few minutes later, she slides into the booth across from me, her overalls scratching against the corduroy upholstery. She pushes one of the iced matcha lattes across the table, taking a sip from the other.

“How’s the project going?”

I’m overhauling a fitness start-up’s entire marketing strategy. When they started their business two years ago, they skimped on graphic design, and it shows. Now that they’re finally starting to make a small profit, they’ve decided to invest it back into the business by revamping their brand identity.

“Almost done, actually,” I say, looking up as she tucks a wild, curly lock of warm, golden-blond hair behind her ear.

“Wait, really?” she asks, stormy gray eyes widening. “I thought it was going to take you weeks.”

I shrug, adjusting something on my iPad screen before turning it off. “I’ve been working almost exclusively on this project, so it’s gone quicker. I’ll still have a few things I’m working on for them over the next few weeks, but the major stuff—logo, website graphics, promo materials—is almost done.”

“Good, I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks with all the wedding stuff going on.”

A laugh bubbles from my chest. “Except for the eight hours I spend here every day.”

She rolls her eyes. “That doesn’t count, and you know it. It’s not quality time if we’re both working.”

“This is true,” I say and take a sip of my latte, savoring the creamy, earthy taste of the matcha.

“Let’s hang out Saturday,” she yells, earning the attention of the only other customer in the shop right now, who must have been able to hear her squeal over whatever he’s listening to in his over-ear headphones.

I have to hold back a grin at her exuberance. This right here is why Lucy and I became such fast friends when I moved here last year. We are one soul in two bodies. When I walked into this coffee shop, I immediately knew I had found some place special. The eclectic cottagecore decor and funky drinks called to my free-spirited bohemian heart, and I never wanted to leave. Then I met Lucy, a bundle of joy who’s usually dressed like she could be on her way to a Renaissance fair, and I knew I’d made the right decision in picking Nashville as my new home. Friendships like the one I have with her are once in a lifetime.

I’m nodding before I remember I already have plans on Saturday, and my expression turns into a wince.

Lucy’s face falls. “You can’t?”

“I have a date…” I say, trailing off.

She gapes at me. “What?”

I can’t hold back my laugh this time. “I know it’s been a while, but Ihavebeen on a date before.”

“I tried to set you up with apediatric doctora month ago, and you told me you weren’t ready to date yet.” She takes a sip of her drink. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy about this. Happy foryou, but what changed?”

My shoulder lifts in a shrug, and I drag my fingers down the condensation on my cup. “I don’t know. I guess it was a mix of things, but mostly watching Cam and Ellie this weekend.” Meeting her eyes, I say, “They were just so happy. It reminded me that love can be like that, you know? That it doesn’t have to hurt.”

Her expression softens like melting butter. “No, it doesn’t. In fact, itshouldn’t.”

“I know.” I bite my lip, trying to hold back the tears that are now threatening.

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