Page 30 of A Good Book

As I bent down to plug in the cord, the phone rang. I set the dryer aside and answered it. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Matt.”

I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep from squealing. “Hey,” I mumbled behind it.

“I can’t hear you. Must be something wrong with the connection.”

I dropped my hand. “Sorry, is this better?”

“Yeah.”

There was an awkward silence.

“Listen, about last night, I had too much to drink. And I went upstairs with Julianne, thinking things were going in one direction, but she casually mentioned how much she was going to miss what we had, and for some reason that made me mad. I couldn’t watch another relationship slowly die. And everything went south. Again, I had way too much to drink. Then I saw you, and you’re always so positive. You always have that big smile on your face. And I wanted some of that joy. But my intoxicated brain took off your shirt before getting you a clean one, and I know it was disrespectful and unforgivable. I’m embarrassed and disappointed with myself. And just sososorry.”

I sat in my desk chair and twirled the phone cord around my finger. “Don’t apologize. It’s fine. I uh …” I bit my lip for a second, as if I needed to hide my grin from him. “I know you had too much to drink. And I was obviously a mess in those boots, and uh … well, that thing that dropped on the floor was from my roommate. She gave it to me. Like, you know, as a joke.” Heat settled into my cheeks, and I was so glad he couldn’t see me.

“So you’re not mad?”

“No. Of course not. I was just surprised. Julianne ran past me, clearly upset and hurt. But then you were obviously upset and hurting too. And I never imagined it happening like that. But?—”

“Wait, you imagined something happening between us?”

“No. I mean, well, what I meant was, uh …” I pinched my eyes shut. “I didn’t mean it literally. Like more figuratively.”

Matt chuckled, and I couldn’t tell if he was laughing at me or laughing from the joy of finding me so endearing. I feared it was the former.

“Well, I didn’t mean for anything to happen. I hope you know that. And I want to make it right. Okay?” he asked.

“Make it right?”

“Yeah. Nothing involving a party, alcohol, my girlfriend crushing my heart, or close quarters in a bathroom.”

My girlfriend crushing my heart.

“I don’t know. Maybe since you just broke up with Julianne, you need time to grieve and get over her.”

“You’re right. I should sit around and feel sorry for myself, listen to sad songs, and rent a breakup movie and eat a whole tub of ice cream.”

I snorted. “Don’t forget to call her a dozen times and hang up as soon as she answers.”

“Boom box over my head, standing outside her window begging her not to leave me?”

“Now you’re talking.” My grin was so big it hurt.

“The question is, do you want to do all of this with me? I’ll buy two tubs of ice cream.”

“Do I want to grieve with you?” I asked.

“Sure. Like a friend. You and Ben are just friends. Maybe you can be my friend, too.”

I didn’t want to be that kind of friend to Matt, but I also didn’t want to wait for him to properly grieve Julianne before seeing him again.

“Fine,” I said with fake exasperation in my voice. “I’ll be your friend. But I get to pick the movie becauseThe Terminatoris not a breakup movie.”

“I disagree. It might be the ultimate breakup movie. It’sThe Terminator. The end. But I was thinking something likeAliens.”

“Oh jeez. I’d better bring the ice cream. You’re obviously the kind of person who would get a flavor with nuts in it.”

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