Page 49 of Every Now and Then
“Did she talk about Kyle?” James asks.
I don’t want to break Annabelle’s trust and share too much, so I just nod and answer simply, “Some.”
“Shit,” Josh mutters. “That had to have been fucking hard on her, especially since they have kids.”
Charlotte waltzes in just then, mumbling her apologies for getting held up in traffic. “I thought this was a celebration, not a pity party.” Sitting down in the lone empty seat at the round table, she immediately grabs a handful of tortilla chips and starts munching. “So?” she asks me, her eyes expectant, as she pushes her unruly hair out of her face.
But as soon as she tugs a lock of hair into place, another errant curl springs loose from her messy bun. The differences between Charlotte and Jane are striking. Whereas Jane dresses as if she’s having lunch with the president, her older sister usually looks like a college student who just pulled an all-nighter. Char pushes her glasses from the tip of her nose onto the top of her head and gestures impatiently for me to spill the beans.
Before I can answer, Rowdy jumps in, lightening the mood from our earlier discussion about Kyle’s death. Of course, he does this at my expense. “Bambi got friend-zoned by Annabelle.”
The whole table bursts into laughter, and I want to strangle each of them.
“Josh, I guess you can ask her out on a second date then,” James winks.
After our earlier conversation at lunch, I know Annabelle hasn't friend-zoned me. What I told her was true. I'll wait and go as slow as I need to, but I'm going to keep moving the chains.
Fuck the friend zone. We're making it to the end zone.
17
Hayes
Now
Me
Want to watch a movie together tonight?
Annabelle
I’d love to, but I don’t think I can get a sitter for the girls.
Me
Let’s hop on the phone after you put the girls to bed, and we can watch the same movie while we’re on thephone together.
Annabelle
I like that plan! A little long-distance Netflix and chill.
I bark out a laugh, confident Annabelle doesn’t know what she's saying. But on the off chance she does, I’m down.
Me
I’ll take Slang for $1,000, Alex.
Jeopardy, you know that Netflix and chill isn’t really watching a movie and hanging out, right?
Annabelle
Umm…
I laugh as I watch those dots hopping. I’d bet a million bucks that she’s scrambling to google what it means. To save her time, I help her out.
Me
It’s more like IMAX and Climax.
