Page 71 of Friend Zoned

“Aiden Walsh? Your boyfriend is the coach for the Mischiefs? Are you shitting me?” Alana asks.

“Language, Alana,” her mother warns.

“Since when do you watch basketball?” I ask.

“Well, I have a teenage stepson now. He’s obsessed.” She turns to Aiden. “He’s here. Would you be willing to meet him?”

“Sure,” Aiden says. Louise, who looks unhappier than she did when she walked into my office, follows Alana out. Her head hangs low the entire time. Once my door is closed, I get on my tippy toes and kiss my man. All the stress from the first half of the day slips away.

“I am so happy to see you, but what are you doing here? You have meetings all day.”

“I rearranged some things. I wanted to be with you. You know? Be here in case I need to kick anyone’s ass.” I wrap my arms around him and hold him close. “And lunch will be delivered soon. I got you sushi.”

“I have the best boyfriend.” I could cry from joy at having him here to support me.

“Yeah, you do. I told you he was going to spoil you. And adore you.”

Tears pool, but I blink them away. “When I get home tonight, you’re the one who’s going to get spoiled. Got it?”

“No complaints here. Are you okay?” He cups my cheeks. “Louise looks like she’s here to witness an execution. Poor thing.”

“Yeah, that happens when your son is a piece of shit, but enough about that. You’re here. I’m great.” He bends down and rests his forehead on mine. That’s the position we’re in when the door to my office opens again, and Alana and a tall, skinny boy walk in. They’re not alone. Leah is right behind them.

“Coach Walsh?” the boy, who looks to be about thirteen or fourteen, says.

Aiden offers him his hand, and the boy wraps himself around him.

I sit behind my desk and watch as they take pictures together. Aiden offers to text Jimmy to bring some team swag he keeps in the car. Without being invited, Leah walks in. She looks from me to Aiden and back to me. I don’t make any introductions, but Aiden’s too busy texting on his phone to notice the new intruder.

Our eyes catch and she gives a tentative smile, but I look away. Another tall man knocks on the door.

“Jeannie, this is my husband, Mark, and my stepson, Stevie,” Alana says. He comes in and shakes my hand. Alana met and married him after I left Quintin, so I’ve never met him before. He gives me a sincere smile but drops my hand and turns to Aiden. He’s as starstruck as his son.

Minutes later, my office is filled with people I don’t know, and as gracious as Aiden is to all of them, I want them out.

“Jeannie,” Layla bursts in and comes up short when she sees Leah. She eyes her up and down so hard, that Leah takes a step back. “Aiden got us all sushi again, but this one is for you guys.” She puts a bag on my desk but doesn’t leave. She goes and leans against the wall as if she’s waiting for a show to start.

“Okay, everyone, come back in thirty minutes. My driver will bring some jerseys and you can have one,” he says to Alana’s stepson and his dad. Everyone but Leah files out.

She stands there and looks around, and I wonder if she knows who Aiden Walsh is. I had no idea until I met him, and Leah is not exactly a sports enthusiast.

“Goodbye, Leah,” I tell her. To make my point, I walk to my door and hold it open for her. “Have fun at the baby shower.”

She opens her mouth to speak but must think better of it and closes it. She clears her throat, but she still doesn’t leave.

“Do you need me to show you the way out?” Layla asks. She finally pulls away from the wall. “Or am I going to need to call security?”

Layla’s hostility must snap her out of her trance. “Why would you need to call security?” She poses the question to Layla, but she doesn’t look at her. She takes a small step toward Aiden.

“I’m Leah. Jeannie’s friend,” she says to him.

“Former friend,” I say to no one in particular.

Layla snorts, and Leah turns her head to look at her. “Who are you?” she asks.

“I’mJeannie’s friend,” Layla says. “You don’t know the meaning of the word.”

“Anyway,” Leah says before she turns back to me. “I’m happy for you.” When I don’t answer, she finally looks down and leaves my office. I promptly slam the door behind her.

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