Page 41 of Friend Zoned

“Sounds like you have company,” says Jeannie. “I want to go sledding.” It comes out like a whine, and I picture her pouting. She’s done it before, and I’ve never wanted to kiss a woman more than when she does that.

“You’re spending next Christmas with me.” My voice comes out authoritative and bossy. She giggles. She’s probably wrongly assuming I’m kidding, but I’m not.

“Okay, Greenwich. Maybe you’ll be spending it withme,” she teases. “Did you ever think ofthat?”

“There’s no place to go sledding in your neighborhood.”

“Last time I checked, there were no places to go sledding in Tribeca either,” she says.

“I am allowed to leave New York City from time to time.”

“Uncle Aid, can you help me?” Shannon asks.

I get on my knees and help the wiggling seven-year-old into her snow pants. She points to the corner, and I retrieve her boots and help her with those too. She stands, grinning and showing off that one missing front tooth.

“Thanks, Uncle Aid. Do you need me to help you now?” She stands there with her big brown eyes looking up at me. It doesn’t matter that I spent most of the morning with her. We ate breakfast together and played with her new toys, but she’s been following me around since she woke up. She only left me alone long enough to go find her boots and snowsuit. As much as I want to be with Jeannie, I can’t go be with her right now. If it wasn’t for the damn snow, I would take Shannon with me and not think twice about it.

“Just give me a minute, okay?” I tap the tip of her nose. “I’ll be right down, and we can go.” She runs out, practically tripping on her way through the door in her excitement.

“So, my niece won’t let me out of her sight,” I confess.

“That’s so sweet. I wish I had a niece or a nephew,” she sighs. “But you need to go. Don’t keep her waiting.”

I look out the window again and mentally curse the snow. She’s all I’ve thought about since I got here yesterday. She’s all I’ve thought about since I saw her at the wedding, but yesterday was incredibly lonely without her

“Okay,” I finally say. “I’ll go, but I’ll call you later. What are you doing today?”

“Well, I’m going to sit on my couch, curl up under a fuzzy blanket, and watch Netflix. Don’t worry, I won’t watchInventing Annawithout you. Maybe catch a nap after I eat leftovers.” A deep sigh later and she says, “I’d rather be sledding, though. I love the snow.”

Me too, but I’d rather be on her couch with her. Or we could both be in my bed. I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a lazy day in bed.

“I’ll take you to Aspen,” I say without thinking first.

“Oh, really? When? You’re traveling for work during all the good snow months, Aid.” She giggles at the nickname, but I like it. “Aspen is not possible, at least not during ski season.” And there’s the problem I’ve had for over a decade with every woman I’ve ever tried to be with. “That’s another thing I need to do this year. I need to find some girlfriends who want to travel. I used to take a girls’ trip with Leah and Camille each year.”

I let out a groan and drop myself on my bed. I know I have only a few more minutes before Shannon comes back.

“We can figure something out. Is my work schedule a problem for you?” The line goes silent, but I hold my breath and wait for her to speak.

“Why would your job be a problem forme? Am I being a needy bestie?”

Chapter 20

Jeannie

I think I’ve done a great job of not showing my disappointment in how today turned out. Yes, seeing each other today was an impromptu decision he made last night, but it’s all I’ve been able to think about. I barely slept from the excitement of seeing him today instead of next week.

I want him here right now. With me. Doing absolutely nothing. Or we can walk around in the snow and find a place to have hot chocolate. We can finally open up the Christmas gifts we got each other, but it looks like we’re going to have to wait eight more days to see each other again.

“Am I being a needy bestie?” I ask. Yes, his schedule would be a problem for me if we were a couple, but we’re not. I want someone who is present. I want time and attention, not to mention affection. That’s hard to get when your partner is traveling to away games every few days.

“No, but I won’t be doing my job as your bestie if I’m always away,” he says. There’s a different tenor in his voice now, one laced with just a hint of anxiety. I haven’t known him long, but the man does not lack confidence in anything, so I’m sure I’m wrong.

“If you were my boyfriend or husband, we’d have a serious problem,” I joke. I laugh after my statement and expect him to laugh too, but he doesn’t. I try to imagine what that would look like. It took almost a year for my divorce to finalize. While I’m not against a relationship, marriage is not something I ever want to do again. “But we’re friends. Chill. It’s all good, Coach. I’m going to be a needy girlfriend, not a needy bestie.”

“Friends,” he says. “Right. Of course.” If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was annoyed with me, but that can’t be. Friends. That’s what we are. Then a thought hits.

I’ve spent a good bulk of our time together talking about what I want and what my future relationship is going to look like, but I’ve never asked him about his.

---