Page 65 of That Friendzone Feeling
“I’llthink about it,”ItellEmily.EventhoughI’msureIwon’t budge.
“Youreally might find it helps.It’sworth a try.Imean, what else are you going to do, fret about me every timeI’mfive minutes late for the rest of my life?”
Yes, probably.
Butnow she’s home safely, andIknow the reason she’s so late is because she was chatting withChase, that’s a whole different kind of worry.
Idon’t know what jealousy or envy feels like—I’venever been jealous or envious of anyone—butIsuspect it’s what’s coursing through my veins right now and threatening to consume me.
“You’regoing to be inLAthe day before the premiere.You’respending tomorrow withChaseafter you get there, right?”Shenods. “Socouldn’t he have run you through everything tomorrow once you’re there?”
Shecrosses her arms and frowns. “Whyare you being so grumpy about this whole thing?”
Ishould shut up.Thisis heading nowhere other than towardEmilytelling me yet again that being friends and business partners means we can’t be anything else and that she’s completely free to video chat with as many world-famous actors as she likes, whenever she likes.Thisconversation will achieve nothing, other than me pissing her off and losing more of her thanIalready have.
“I’mjust worried about everything, that’s all.”Ipush myself up off the wall and turn away from her, toward the kitchen. “AndChaseis desperate to get in your pants.”
ShouldIhave added that?No.WouldIhave said it ifIhadn’t been on my third beer?Probablynot.DoIsound like a jealous, spurned lover?Undoubtedly.
“Forfuck’s sake,Walker.”Behindme, her feet pitter-patter closer. “Whyare you being like this?”
Ishake my head and move back to the window. “Itdoesn’t matter.Nevermind.”
Downin the street, the raccoons have disappeared.GuessI’llnever know how that story ended.
Iturn to face her and lean back on the sill.
Shestops in the middle of the large open space, hair cascading over one shoulder.She’sa fucking goddess.
“Whatare you most pissed about here?”Hereyebrows knit tight together. “ThatIwas late?ThatIdidn’t let you knowIwas okay?GoodGod, even my dad didn’t pace up and down worrying about whereIwas whenIwas a teenager.”
Itake another swallow of beer—the one thingI’vesuccessfully created in my life. “DoIneed to remind you that your parents are a pair of thoughtless asses?”
“No, you don’t.I’mvery well aware they’ve never thoughtI’mworthy of their care and attention.Butthat doesn’t meanIneed you behaving like a surrogate dad.”
Thatis the absolute last thingIwant to behave like. “It’snot about being your parent.”Ihold on to the fire within me, keeping my voice calm and even, not rising to her impassioned level. “It’sabout caring about you.Andafter whatItold you on the island,I’dhave thought you’d have a bit more respect now for whyIworry when you’re late.”
“Respect?”Shealmost spits the word and snorts. “Andyou sayingChaseis only doing business with us because he wants to get into my pants isrespectful?”
“He’sobviously besotted with you.”
Shesteps forward and leans on the back of the sofa. “Isthatwhat this is about?”
Herbeautiful face reddens.It’simpossible to know if it’s due to fury at my suggestion, awkwardness that she knows it’s true, or embarrassment because she likes him too. “Youdon’t think that maybe he wants to do business with us because we have a fucking amazing company?AndbecauseIput together an undeniable pitch for him?AndbecauseI’veschmoozed him really damn skillfully?”
Myability to remain the calm one in this conversation wanes.Ifight against the heat that rises from my toes and burns in my chest, but it’s tough.AndI’mnot sureI’mstrong enough anymore.
Whoshe flirts with might have nothing to do with me, butIcan’t let her tell me it’s purely business when it so obviously isn’t. “So, the giggling in the back ofJoe’scab, that was schmoozing, was it?Theeyelash batting and touches on his arm, that was all schmoozing?”Ipush off the windowsill and straighten. “Agreeingto walk a red carpet with him, which is abso-fucking-lutely unnecessary for the deal, is schmoozing, is it?”
“JesusfuckingChrist,Walker.What’sgotten into you?You’reacting like a jealous teenager.”
Whatthe hell amIdoing?I’mjust pushing her away, the exact opposite of whatIwant.
Shestraightens and rests her hands on her hips. “Allthose things that look like flirting to you, they’re all part of doing business.”There’sa fire and fight in her, the same fire and fight she’s used all these years to try to prove her worth to her parents. “Well, they’re part of doing business if you’re female.Obviously, ifIwere a manIcould just stride into a room, balls out, crush someone’s fingers with my handshake, and get everything we need.ButI’mnot.And, sadly, this is how the world fucking works.”
Awashwith regret,Imove toward her.Ihave to fix this. “Ijust thin—”
“I’mdoing this forthe business.Forboth of us.Wouldyou ratherIhadn’t tried so hard?Wouldyou rather we mothballed the resort half-built?Wouldyou rather all the outstanding billson it bankrupted us?Orwould you ratherItreated the person who’s the best hope we have of saving everything we’ve worked for as graciously asIpossibly can so we can pull ourselves back from the edge of the terrifying cliff we’re about to fall off?”
