Page 28 of Friend Zoned

The friend zone is exactly where I need to be right now. I would have no idea about this so early on. It would have taken me weeks, if not months to figure this out. “What’s yours?” she asks me.

“I guess physical touch and quality time,” I tell her. “I travel a lot for work, but when I’m home, I want the time to be special.”

“You know, Coach, you have to find a girl who likes basketball and who will rub your shoulders when you come home. Don’t go after a high maintenance woman who will pout if you don’t take her clubbing every Friday night.”

“ClubbingeveryFriday night? Perish the thought.” I visibly cringe. She grins at me. No, my woman will be here with me eating dinner and straddling my lap. “What are you doing next Friday after work?”

“Depends. Hopefully, I won’t need to do any more Christmas shopping. I’ll probably spend the night wrapping presents. Are you decorating this place?” She looks around my house.

“No time. How about I come over and help you wrap? If you need to shop, I’ll pick you up at work and we’ll go. We can have dinner first.”

“Sounds good.” She smiles but looks away far too quickly. “You want to hear something?” She shakes her head as if she’s thought better of it. “Never mind. It’s cringe.”

I reach across the table and take her hand in mine. She doesn’t pull away. “Friends, remember? Friends don’t keep secrets.”

“Okay. Here goes.” She takes a deep breath and says, “You’re the best friend I’ve made in years. You’re basically my best friend. Cringe, right?”

“Um, I might not be the right person to ask. I showed up at your house unannounced.”

“Yeah, that’s way more cringe. You’re right. I’m the normal one in this friendship.”

I toss my napkin at her. “Eat,” I order. “I have dessert. We can have that while we watch our show.”

A few minutes later, we’re on the couch in the living room. I’d much rather do this in my bed upstairs, but baby steps. I bring our dessert and say, “A warm brownie with a white chocolate drizzle for the lady.”

She claps like a little kid and snatches her bowl from me. “Ice cream. We need vanilla ice cream.”

“My white chocolate drizzle is not enough for you?” I do everything to hold back my smile. I don’t think she gets my joke, though.

I hand her my bowl. “In the freezer. I’ll put on the show. Hurry.”

She comes running back to the living room with our bowls a couple of minutes later. She hands me mine and sits so close to me that our bodies touch. I can smell her body spray, and when I look down, I can see straight down her red shirt. I look away while I still can.

Unlike the dinner we shared at her place, she eats a lot more tonight. Even now, she reaches into my bowl and takes a spoonful of my ice cream.

“Excuse me,” I say, moving my bowl out of the way.

“Oops,” she giggles. She tries to steal from me again, but I hold my bowl straight up in the air.

“You have no idea how serious I am about my dessert. I will fight you.” When she giggles her entire face lights up, and for a moment, she’s carefree and happy. I want to pat myself on the back for making that happen. “Episode three, Ms. Dubois. I hope you’re ready.” I grab the remote and hit start.

Chapter 14

Jeannie

“Jeannie. Jeannie” I hear my name being called, but my eyes are so heavy, I can barely open them. Then, a big but gentle hand caresses the nape of my neck, and my name is called again. “Jeannie,” he croons so softly that it practically lulls me back to sleep.

Then I remember where I am. My head’s on his lap, and I swear that I feel a hard bulge close to my cheek. I sit up straight while I get my bearings. “What happened?” I mumble. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and wait for the world to come into focus. I squint and see that it’s just after ten o’clock, which means, I’ve been asleep for about an hour. “I’m sorry.” I stretch and yawn. “Your lap is just too comfortable. It’s all your fault.”

I stand and start to clean up the coffee table. I grab both dessert bowls and walk to the kitchen. He follows me, takes the bowls from my hands, and puts them in the sink.

“You missed most of episode four.” He tsks as if he’s disappointed in me, but his eyes are sparkling with mischief.

“Anna is a fraud. I’m certain of it,” I announce. “Just wait. I’m never wrong about these things.” I look around the kitchen, unsure of what to do or say next. He stares into my eyes, and I look away. I don’t have the bandwidth to decipher the intense look he’s giving me. “I have an early morning, so it’s time I head out, but let me help you clean up first.” I start to clear the table, but he takes both my hands in his.

“I’ve got it. You can stay and go home in the morning,” he says. I picture myself in his big bed with him next to me. Maybe we’ll find a lighthearted comedy and watch until I fall asleep. Preferably with my head on his bare chest. I clear my throat as if that would erase the vision I just planted in my head. It doesn’t work. I remind myself that this is a friendship. One that I’ve come to value in a short amount of time, and I don’t want to risk that.

“A sleepover? I wasn’t allowed sleepovers when I was a kid unless it was with family.” I try to remain lighthearted, but all I can think about is going upstairs and claiming his bed as mine and letting him wrap me in his strong arms.

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