Page 30 of Friend Zoned

“Okay, I get it. I was a shitty friend, but I’m not the one who betrayed you, Jeannie. Maybe I didn’t handle it well when you confronted me, but I didn’t do anything wrong. You’re both my friends, and—”

“No, we’re not both your friends. You and I are no longer friends. Honestly, I don’t want to rehash any of this. I’m divorced from Quintin.” It’s bad enough that he still tries to insert himself in my life, but I won’t tell Leah that. “I want nothing to do with Camille. I wish you well, but I don’t want anything to do with you either. No hate. No drama. Just two people who used to be friends but aren’t anymore. It happens all the time. We don’t have to make a big deal out of it.”

My hopes of her leaving my office without any more discussion are dashed when she takes off her coat and takes a seat. She rummages through her purse and puts a card on my desk.

“My mom’s been asking about you. Our annual Christmas party is on Saturday, and she wants to see you. Please consider coming.” She stands and walks around my desk. I put my hands in my pocket when she starts reaching for them. “I miss you, Jeannie. I really do, and I feel awful about my role in all of this. I never meant to hurt you but put yourself in my place. I was stuck between my two best friends. I couldn’t break Camille’s confidence, and I selfishly didn’t want to have to be the one to break the news to you. I was in an impossible situation. You seem to be doing well now. Let me take you to lunch or dinner one day. Please.”

She holds her breath and waits. She was the first friend I made in college. I was lost and she walked me to the building where my class was. When class ended, we had lunch. She’s the one who introduced me to Camille, and the three of us became inseparable.

My office phone rings, and I say a silent prayer of gratitude. Without looking at the number, I answer.

“Just thought I’d call because I’ll be busy for the rest of the day,” the male voice says.

“Greenwich.” I want to say a silent prayer of gratitude for this call, but I hold back. In my most professional voice, I say, “Hold on, please.”

“Leah, I need to take this. I’m moving forward, okay? Please, wish your mom a Merry Christmas for me.” She blinks twice before she stands, but I don’t miss the tears pooling in her eyes. I hold my breath until she closes the door behind her.

“I can’t believe a big, bad football coach has time for little ol’ me.” I sit behind my desk and feel relaxed for the first time today. “How’s Detroit?”

“Cold, gray and miserable.”

Chapter 15

Aiden

She orders me to wait outside. I’m itching to go to the hotel and collect her, but I don’t want to appear too eager. It’s been five days. Five long days since she left my house after our dinner and Netflix. I’ve been busy, but I’ve thought of her nonstop since. I don’t understand how it happened. I’m a man who is close to forty. I’ve dated dozens of women, but none of them have ever remained on my mind like this. And I’m not even dating Jeannie. We’re just friends.

As I remind myself of that, I know our relationship won’t strictly be a friendship for long, but my schedule is so tight for the next four months, and longer if we make the playoffs. If we make it into another Finals this year, I won’t be able to give her the time and attention she needs for another six months. And that would only last until the next season starts in October.

I’ve never been so sure about not renewing my contract as I am at this moment. I can’t continue with this lifestyle of getting on a plane every couple of days, sometimes being gone for five days or longer. I want more than that, and the woman in my life deserves more too.

Yes, but will being co-CEO be less grueling?

I think it will be. Katherine doesn’t travel a fraction as much as I do, and if we share the position, that will mean even less traveling. Besides, I can arrange for teleconferences when necessary. I would like to go at least six months without getting on an airplane unless it’s for an exotic vacation.

I check my phone. It’s quarter to six, and I have no missed calls or texts from Jeannie. She should have been here fifteen minutes ago.

“I’ll go find her, Jimmy,” I say to my driver. He catches my eye through the mirror and wiggles his eyebrows.

“Go get her, boss man,” he says with his usual thick Jamaican accent. “If she’s not interested in you, put in a good word for me.”

I ignore him and get out the car. I only take two steps before she comes walking out of the hotel. She’s in all black like the first night I met her, but this outfit is far from the matronly suit she wore to the wedding. She’s in tight black jeans and black riding boots that come up to her knees. She has a short black leather jacket that’s cinched and tied at the waist, and the wind whips her short hair around. When she sees me, she runs toward me and I meet her halfway.

Before I can think about it, I pull her into a hug, and I take it further by lifting her off her feet. She lets out a little scream as I carry her to the car. I hold the door open and slide in after her.

“Hey, Jimmy,” she says. He reaches over and offers her a fist bump. Jimmy’s worked for me for five years, and I don’t remember any woman I’ve ever dated acknowledging him before. They assume he’s just my driver, but he’s my security and personal assistant too. He looks harmless but is far from it.

“Where to, boss man?”

“Are we shopping first or eating? You were too busy to talk to me earlier.” I try to sound playful, but my texts and calls to her office all went unanswered.

“Eating,” she says quickly. “I can eat my weight in guacamole right about now. Actually, I can eat about your weight in it.”

“That’s a lot of guacamole,” Jimmy says from the front seat.

“Mexican it is. Jimmy, take us to Toloache.”

He pulls away from the curb.

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