Page 19 of Rumor Has It

I’m looking forward to seeing her and Jake all the time, honestly. That’s the part I want to focus on. And if I had to guess, I won’t be the only one in this town who’s equally excited for her return, but that’s a story for another time.

I text Ellie about her car, offer to pick up dinner, to which she agrees, and dodge yet another set of texts from Lindy. I don’t know what she wants to talk about or why she suddenly wants to talk at all, but I know for sure it’s either not good or not genuine. Perhaps it’s even both. If I know one thing, it’s that I’ll never have to doubt my decision at the end of that.

“What’s got you deep in thought, man?” Garrett asks, disrupting the freight train in my mind.

“A lot of shit,” I say. “Lindy texted me.”

“About what?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I didn’t reply. Don’t want to know.”

“You think she’s having regrets?” he asks as he rifles through his toolbox.

“I’d wager it’s more like she’s just fucking with me,” I say. “I’m not sure that woman meant a single word she said the whole time we were together.”

“Damn,” Garrett says. “That’s heavy.”

“Yeah.” I let the silence take over. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to him. I just don’t want to talk about her. As far as I’m concerned, that chapter is shut.

“So how’s it going at Ellie’s?” he asks.

I’m not sure this topic is any better, but at least it doesn’t make me want to throw myself off a bridge. It does kind of make me want to throw Garrett off a bridge, though. I guess that’s progress.

“It’s fine,” I say. “She’s a hell of a cook, we’ve always gotten along, and helping her take care of the opossum hasn’t been as annoying as I originally thought.” As I say that, I realize I need to take lunch soon and go feed Wanda. My lunch is obviously much more flexible than hers, so it makes sense. But she did say since it disrupts my day, she would take on the night feeds. And honestly, that’s a deal I come out on top of.

“And you mean to tell me the lines of your friendship haven’t blurred even the slightest bit?” Garrett’s eyes squint as if this is a poker game and he’s searching my face for a microscopic tell that will confirm his suspicions.

“Um.” I pause after that, because no, the lines of our friendship are firm. At least in the physical world—the real world. But that doesn’t mean my mind hasn’t wandered a bit too far and now experiences momentary bouts of blurred vision. Unfortunately, my pause is enough for Garrett to yank at and run with.

“Dude!” he says. “You paused, dude.”

“Look, don’t get it twisted. Nothing has happened between us. But now that I can’t seem to get through a single day without you and everyone else accusing me of it, I’ve been having some thoughts.”

“What kind of thoughts?” He raises his left brow much higher than the other.

“I don’t know. Just, like, what if it was a thing? Or like when I look at her now, I’m seeing her a little differently.” I shrug, adjusting the collar of my shirt and rubbing the back of my neck.

“Different how?”

“There are only so many times you can hear people tell you that you should be with someone before you start making an assessment when you look at said person,” I say.

“So like when you look at her, you see both Ellie your best friend but also Ellie as a woman and potential mate?” He looks smug for someone who just used the word “mate.”

“Please don’t say mate,” I say, shaking my head.

“You’re fixating on the wrong part of my half-question, half-statement.”

I decide to answer before he says “mate” again and completely grosses me out for the rest of the day. “Yeah, basically. I mean, I’ve always thought she was a beautiful person inside and out, even though we all know she struggles with that.”

“I never got that, man,” he says “Thick girls are always the way to go.”

“That is something we agree on,” I say, nodding. “But anyway, yeah, I’ve caught myself imagining it a few times.”

“I think you should go for it,” he says. “We all do.”

“Yes, I’m acutely aware.”

“And you know what? I think she secretly digs you, too,” he says with confidence.

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