Page 56 of Love Unavoidable
“Don’t you guys have some kind of girl code that would prevent you from telling me what she says?” I ask.
“Of course. But I don’t know her well enough yet to invoke it. Plus, I love you, you take care of my man. So, I’m on your side. For now, at least. And I think the two of you would make a cute couple. If I can help that along, I will.”
“Thanks, Kat,” I say.
“What are friends for, E?” She smiles. “And don’t act so surprised, you are ruining this moment for me.”
“It’s just that it’s not like you to help me out like this.”
“I’m a changed woman. Love has changed me,” she says dramatically as she drapes herself across Brad’s lap and pulls his head down for a kiss.
“Indeed, it has,” I say to no one because they are still kissing. Kat stays cuddled in his lap once they finish attacking one another’s faces. I already know I am jealous of what they have. But I am also reticent to embrace a relationship and try to incorporate it in my life. But even if I were ready, how do I know that Sadie is the one? And if she is, how do I trust that it won’t all blow up in my face?
Because she’s the only woman you’ve never been able to forget.
“Okay, text her,” I tell Kat. “See what she’s doing. Or if she’s home. Or how she feels. Or if she’s going to the shower tomorrow.”
“If I’m gonna text her, it will be with something I want to say.”
“Fine. Just tell me what she says,” I say.
“What are you? Twelve?” Kat asks.
“Emotionally, yes,” Brad interjects.
“Ha ha,” I tell him.
“Okay, I asked her what she is doing tonight and if she is excited about the baby shower tomorrow,” Kat says.
“That’s perfect,” I tell her.
“I know,” she says. She takes a sip of her wine as her phone dings with an incoming text.
“What did she say?” I practically lunge at her to get to her phone.
“Hold your horses,” she says. “False alarm. It’s my Amazon delivery notification.”
I sit back in my chair. Surprised, and not surprised by my reaction. I turn to Brad. “I’ve got to get it together, man. I’m going nuts.”
“I was just going to say the same thing,” he says.
“Thanks a lot, man.”
“No, really. I think you need a plan. Whatever is happening right now isn’t working for you. And if you keep running your hands through your hair you’re going to pull it out. Then, premature balding, my friend. Or worse, ring-head.” He draws an imaginary circle around the top of his head to show where I would go bald. The thought makes me shudder. I have great hair. I pride myself on my hair. I learned from the best: John Stamos, Patrick Dempsey, and the Fonz.
“Okay, enough on the hair loss. Let’s come up with a plan,” I say. Kat’s phone dings again, I turn toward her but stay in my seat this time.
“It’s her,” she says. “She is nervous about the shower tomorrow because she feels like she won’t know anyone, and she’s home because you ruined her evening. Oh my, let’s find out what you did, shall we?” She types a response. I already know what I did so I don’t care. And there’s not much that Sadie can say at this point that will change what has already happened, or what is about to happen.
“Plan,” I say to Brad.
“Right, okay. I’ve been thinking some more on this since we talked before you stormed the date. What about . . .”
He launches into his plan on what I should do. It’s a good plan, I have to agree. I hope it will work and that I won’t look like an asshole.
Because whether or not Sadie Mason likes it, I will have her on my arm and in my bed.
Soon.
