Page 49 of Friendshipped
“You know, such a swoon-worthy specimen of manhood?” I say, stifling the urge to say, duh.
“No. I don’t exactly notice those things about other men. I just haven’t seen you drool green drink over someone before. It caught me off guard.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” I say with an eye roll.
“I doubt Chase noticed,” Trevor says in an effort to either reassure me or to remind me I’m not the type men like Chase would notice. “He might be a jerk.”
“You wish,” I say, not sure why I even feel this uncontrollable urge to defend the Greek god to my best friend.
Trevor hits the radio button and turns the volume up loud enough to send me thethis conversation is overmessage.
16
Trevor
I’ve got my mind focused on writing up the article on the top five pizza places in Dayton, but I keep drifting to thoughts of Lexi quitting the dating app after those three disasters.
I could almost do a happy dance whenever I think about Lexi swearing off other men. Even though it doesn’t mean she’s any closer to something romantic with me, I’m relishing her exit from the dating scene.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Lexi. Witnessing her dating other men nearly killed me. Every time I think of pushing the lines between us, she gives me a clear signal that I’m still in the friend zone. Like when I mentioned Meg. I could have sworn Lexi seemed jealous at first, but then she ended up saying Meg would be lucky to have me date her. She wouldn’t push me to date Meg if she were interested in dating me.
And I do have plans with Meg tonight—strictly platonic plans, at least that’s my intention regardless of what my mom hopes for.
Work wraps up and Lexi and I head out to my car for our drive home. Our commute usually consists of us debriefing about work or making plans for what we’ll be doing at some point during the week or weekend. Today is different. Lexi’s barely said a word for the past fifteen minutes, which totally isn’t like her at all.
“You’re awfully quiet,” I say.
“Hmmm.”
“Is it because I had to bail on movie night?”
“What? No. Of course not,” she says with her eyes trained out her window so I can’t see her face.
“Sorry. That was super presumptuous of me. I know you have a life. You probably don’t even care about me taking Meg to dinner. So, what are you doing tonight?”
“Possibly meeting Laura and Shannon or something. I’m a little tired. I might stay in and read or watch reruns of Gilmore Girls.”
Reruns of Gilmore Girls. That’s a bad sign. Lexi only watches those when she’s slumping. It’s a telltale sign she’s not happy about me cancelling—or something’s bothering her.
“Gilmore Girls, huh?”
“I can watch them when I’m completely happy, Trev. It’s not a slump if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Good to know.”
I nudge her shoulder with my free hand. She looks over at me and sticks her tongue out. Something about us growing up together makes us revert to childhood antics at times. I stick my tongue back out at her and she rolls hers. I roll mine and then she does that crinkle thing, knowing I can’t make my tongue do anything more than the curl.
“You win tongue wars,” I say. “Like always.”
That coaxes a feeble smile out of her.
“And for the record, I really would rather stay in with you in my sweats watching whatever and hanging out. I’m nervous to see Meg after all this time.”
“Don’t be,” Lexi says, shifting her body to face me. “You’ve always been too good for her and she’s so into you. Or at least she always was.”
“I’m not sure I want her to be so into me,” I confess, coming dangerously close to blurting the truth.I want you to be so into me, Lexi. Only you.
“Well, we don’t get to control who is into us.”
