Page 102 of Friendshipped
The sound of gravel crunching echoes up Aiden’s driveway. We both look to see who it is. My sister’s SUV comes into view. She hops out and my niece and nephew follow her and then Moose, the family labradoodle, lumbers out of the car and runs toward us.
“Hey, guys!” Karina shouts as she walks closer. “Can they stay with you while I run errands? They are amped out of their mind on sugar from a birthday party we went to this morning and I need to pick up groceries and run two other errands. If they come with me, I may lose my marbles.”
“Sure,” Aiden answers.
I guess this happens more often than I know with as casual as he’s being about the intrusion.
I won’t be able to ask Aiden’s input about Lexi after all. Not with little ears around.
Ashley and Sawyer come bounding through the gate, giving Aiden and me hugs. I lift each of them and give them spins in the air before setting them down. That ridiculous llama doesn’t make a peep.
Moose runs around outside the fence, barking and jumping because he’s been left out of the action.
My sister takes Moose everywhere when she’s not working. She’s like one of those Beverly Hills women with a teacup poodle in her purse. Only Moose would need an army duffle to haul him around.
Aiden starts to show the kids how to measure out the goats’ feed supplement.
While they’re all occupied, Karina says, “Hey, Trev. Can I talk to you a minute? Walk me to my car.”
We walk in silence until we’re out of earshot.
“A few weeks back I saw Lexi out with this really tall, skinny guy. He reminded me of a human palm tree,” Karina says, looking over at me with wide eyes and then laughing. “His hair was sort of shaggy, but the rest of him was all lanky trunk. Anyway, he was leaning across the table making heart eyes at her.”
“And Lexi’s date is our business because?”
“Trevor, are you hearing me?”
“Yeah. Lexi went out with a palm tree. what of it?”
“She’s moving forward, Trev. You need to get off the dime and ask her out while you’re both still single.”
I look back at Aiden and the kids. They are all laughing as the goats battle over the feed trough.
“Lexi and I go out.”
“I’m not talking BFF outings where you keep your hands to yourself. I’m talking about dating the woman you obviously care about, pursuing her, and finally taking a risk at something romantic.”
“What do you mean, obviously?” I ask, immediately regretting my answer.
“Aha! I knew it! Felicia and I have had our suspicions forever.”
She has an air of Sherlock Holmes when solving a case. She’s only missing the haberdashery coat, pipe and hat.
“Nothing’s obvious,” I defend. “Since there’s nothing to be obvious about, obviously.”
I’m backpedaling in an absurd effort to distract my hypervigilant sister.
“Your life, your loss,” Karina says smugly. “I just want to see you two happy. And together. But you do you.”
She hops into her SUV and shuts the door.
My stomach feels hollow with a ghost of a longing. I’m doing more than ever to pursue Lexi these days. But, Karina’s right. Despite the fact that Lexi’s had a series of dud dates, it’s only a matter of time until she finds someone else.
As Karina backs down Aiden’s long driveway, I snag my phone out of my pocket to text Lexi. And then I stand there debating whether I should text her as TJ or Trevor.
37
Lexi
