Page 92 of Just Friends Forever
I clench my teeth. “Unfortunately, I can’t. It’s an open house, and at this price point, I’ll be shocked if they don’t accept an offer in the next twenty-four hours. But I can come immediately after. It shouldn’t take long.”
There’s a short silence. “Look, Troy, this is happening now or not at all. With a purchase this large, I expect you to be there when I need you, and that’s right now.”
The life I’ve dreamed about—a life with Stevie—is slipping through my fingers. I was telling the truth when I said I couldn’t reschedule this showing. But clients don’thaveto have agents with them when they go to showings. I could just let Evelyn know I got caught up with something—stuck in traffic, even—and that I’ll call her as soon as I can to talk about the property and a potential offer. It would be best if I could be there to talk to the agent and make the case for choosing Evelyn, but maybe I can call the agent after I’m done with Rocco.
I feel sick thinking about leaving Evelyn to fend for herself, her hands full of cookies—and the milk she got for me.
But how can I let the deal with Rocco pass by when it could make or break my entire career? When it might make Stevie feel that much surer about taking a chance on me?
“Troy,” Rocco says after my silence. “Are you coming?”
I take a deep breath and square my jaw. “I’m on my way.”
31
STEVIE
I should have gonewith Troy. He’s been gone all day, and the last time I tried to call, it went straight to voicemail.
I was supposed to spend today figuring out my life, but instead, I’ve spent it wondering if I gave Troy the wrong impression from our talk earlier. Did I make it seem like I was waffling over my feelings for him? I’m not. I know I want to be with him. Heck, multiple times today I’ve considered getting an Uber to take me to the showing. I don’t even know where it is, which turns out to be a necessary detail to execute that plan.
But I also want to be able to go to Troy with confidence in what I tell him. He deserves that. And in this moment, I’m still terrified that, in a year or five years, I could end up like I am now—reading an announcement that Troy has moved on with someone else and is sharing with her the things I thought we would share together.
If that happened, I wouldn’t have him to lean on like I have the past couple of weeks.
There’s a knock on the door to my apartment, and I shoot up from the couch and hurry up the stairs to open it, hoping it’s Troy.
I blink. “Austin.”
“Hey. Mind if I come in for a minute?”
“Um, sure.” I laugh shakily. “I mean, you don’t really have to ask. It’s your apartment.” I head back down the stairs and return to the place I’ve been sitting all day: on the couch.
“You doing okay?” he asks as I pull the blanket back up over me.
“Yeah,” I say lamely.
He cocks a brow at my unconvincing tone. Apparently, whatever acting skills I acquired during my time with Curtis have abandoned me.
I chuckle. “I mean, I’m just… torn.”
He leans against the wall by the TV and crosses his arms. “About Troy?”
“Yes. No. I mean, sort of. He wants me to be more certain of my feelings before we move forward, which I understand. But it’s not my feelings that are the problem.”
“What is it?”
I lift my shoulders. “Plain old cowardice? I’m just scared of repeating the past … of thinking I’ve got him and then…”
“Losing him.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “You never marry someone thinking you’ll be near-strangers in a few years, but that’s what happened to me, and it’s what’s happened to my mom.Three times.” I meet his gaze. “I really tried my hardest to make things work with Curtis, Austin. Even after I’d emotionally checked out of the relationship—which was long after he had—I tried to convince him to do counseling or these crazy expensive marriage retreats or—” I shake my head and look down at my interlaced fingers. “I think that happening with Troy would break me.”
Austin walks over and sits on the edge of the cushion, facing me. “Can I show you something?”
I nod.
His face screws up in a grimace. “Troy’s going to kill me. But I guess I’ve got to die at some point, and sacrificing myself for you two is a worthy cause.” He pulls out his phone and takes a few seconds to navigate to whatever he plans to show me.
