Page 36 of The Boyfriend List
My chest tightens at the thought. I don’t want to rescue her from her bad dates. I want to be the only one who takes her on dates from now on. But I can’t say that.
London
Are you already planning an escape from axe throwing? I can’t beat up your date if he has an axe and I don’t.
How about I show up at your apartment instead? I can be there in an hour.
Gloria
Deal, but you have to bring bubble tea.
London
Taro milk tea with lychee popping pearlsand grass jelly?
Gloria
I knew there was a reason I kept you around.
London
Are you sure it’s not for my lumberjack muscles?
Shoot. I sent the message before I could overthink it. I chew on my lip, waiting for her response.
Gloria
Nah. It’s for access to your Christmas tree farm.
She follows it up with a winking emoji.
I chuckle and grab my keys as I make my way out the door. An hour and twenty minutes later—what can I say? L.A. traffic stops for nobody—I have two bubble teas and I’m standing in the lobby of Gloria’s apartment building. The doorman waves me in.
“No bubble tea for me, too?” he jokes.
“Next time, I promise.” I enter the elevator with Gloria’s bubble tea and my Thai milk tea, needing a jolt of caffeine to get me through this day.
I also bought egg waffles in matcha, original, and black sesame flavours.
“You brought snacks!” Gloria says after I knock on her door. “I love you.”
Her enthusiasm jolts my heart, making me picture a life where I come home from work and she greets me with the same warmth and a kiss.
“I know you’re talking to the egg waffles and bubble tea,” I say with a laugh as I hand her the drink and snacks.
“I am,” she says. “How did you know?”
“Because we’re friends?” I ask with an arch of my brow, repeating the words we said to Eli.
“Exactly.” Gloria rips off a chunk of her matcha waffle and pops it in her mouth. “Now, let’s get you ready forDancing With the Stars.”
“Uh, I don’t know what Savannah’s wedding is like, but it won’t be televised.” I kick off my boots and enter the small kitchen, sitting next to her as we eat our egg waffles and drink our bubble teas. “Even if there are celebrities there.”
“And here I thought you were asking me to teach you how to dance because you’re so certain I’ll lose our bet and go with you to her wedding,” Gloria says.
“I’m sure any woman I bring to the wedding would be embarrassed by my bad dancing,” I say, sipping my bubble tea.
“Oh, there’s no doubt about that.” A sly grin curves her lips upwards.
