Page 19 of Just Friends Forever
Her hand slows pushing her eggs around.
“Sorry,” I hurry to say, “it’s none of my business.”
“No, it’s not that.” She sets down her fork and meets my gaze. She smiles and shrugs, but there’s a sheen in her eyes. “He just didn’t want to fight for us. Didn’t want a family or anything but to keep chasing his career.”
My heart twinges, and I reach for her hand as my opinion of Curtis plummets even farther.
“Can’t blame him,” she says with a half-smile, tapping my hand absently with her thumb. “Apparently, I don’t even know the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon.”
I chuckle and squeeze her hand. “It’s a thousand percent his loss, Stevie.”
Her phone vibrates three times in a row, and she lets her head fall back, sighing deeply.
I grab her phone and put it in my pocket. “I think that’s enough good vibrations for today. Let’s go catch a movie or something.”
“I wish I could, but now that everything is finalized, I have a million and one things do.”
“Such as…?”
“Go to the bank, for one. I’ve also got to get groceries at some point.”
“Wow, you really hate my cooking, don’t you?” Her phone vibrates in my pocket.
“No, the eggs aresogood,” she says sincerely. “I just don’t have much of an appetite right now.”
From the looks of her thin frame, it seems like it’s not the first time she hasn’t had an appetite.
I push my chair out and stand up. “Let’s go, then. Make a dent in that to-do list.”
“What, now?” She pushes her messy bun back on top of her head. “Don’t you have work today?”
I walk over to her chair, grab her hand, and pull her up, ignoring the way her phone is going off constantly in my pocket. “Nope. I cleared out the day to hang out with my old best friend.”
“Hang outmeaning go to the bank and grocery store?”
I wrinkle my brow. “Is there another meaning?” I put my hands on her shoulders. “Stevie, I haven’t seen you in years. If you asked me to clean out port-a-potties with you today, I’d do it. But also, please don’t ask me to clean out port-a-potties with you today.”
“I can’t make any promises, but if you really don’t mind coming on my errands, I’d love the company. Just let me get half-decent first.”
I zip my lips rather than telling her that she looks more than decent as is. A thought occurs to me. “Wait.”
She pauses in her path toward the door.
“Can you just… go out in public? Are you worried about being recognized?”
She tips her head from side to side. “Yes and no. No one knows where I am yet, so people won’t really be expecting to see me, which is more than half the battle. If I wear a hat and plain clothes, I should be fine.”
“I can moonlight as your security detail.” I look down at my outfit. “I’ll need to change into a black suit and wear some sunglasses, though.”
She bites her lip. “I’m thinking that might draw a bit of attention.”
“Hm. Okay, scratch the suit and glasses. You don’t happen to have one of those ear mics, do you?”
She stares at me, cocking one brow.
“No? You know what? It’s fine. I can make do without for today.”
She laughs, and it’s a pleasant zing to the heart to hear that sound after so much time without it.
