Page 80 of That Friendzone Feeling
Chaseruns his finger around the base of his glass. “Yousaid you two have never been a thing, right?”
“That’sright.Never.”Thebuilding site andWalker’sbedroom the other night do not count as us being “a thing.”Andwhy isChaseasking this again?
Istab my fork into another shrimp. “Itwould be crazy.”Andit would.Ittotally would.
“Youjust seem very close, that’s all.”Hepicks up his knife and fork and rearranges the asparagus that had been stacked in a perfect crisscross pattern. “Andthe way you look at each other…”
“Theway we look at each other?”Welook at each other in away?
Henods.
“Ha.”Iwave his comment away with my shrimpy fork. “Wejust know each other so well.We’vebeen best friends since the first week of grad school ten years ago.Andwe’ve been there for each other ever since.Whetherit’s cleaning up shrimp-induced vomit or him putting me up after a fight with my boyfriend.”
“Oh.”Helooks crestfallen. “Youhave a boyfriend?”Hesnatches a spear of asparagus off his fork with his teeth.
“Ijust meant any boyfriendI’vehad a fight with.”
Nowthat sounds likeIfight with all of them.Huh.IguessIdo.Whichmakes me sound like someone difficult to deal with.Ido not needChaseto get the impressionI’mdifficult to deal with and decide not to sign tomorrow.
“Imean,Idon’t have one at the moment, not anymore.I’mstaying atWalker’sright now whileIlook for a place of my own.”
“Oh,” he repeats, but with more hope.
Mystomach lets out an audible growl.I’vehad just two mouthfuls of this delicious food in front of me and my belly is desperate for more.
“Goodness.Sorry.Didn’trealize how hungryIwas.ButIguess it’s been hours since that early lunch.Noone would let me eat once my hair and makeup were done andIwas in this dress.”
Heleans across the table toward me again and lowers his voice. “Youknow what?Youlooked just as beautiful before all that as you do now.”
Ishould be delighted that a man likeChasefinds me attractive.ButIcan’t help but feel a tad uncomfortable.Thelast two days have shown me he’s from a totally different world.AndI’mfairly sureIdon’t fit in it.
Iloathed walking that red carpet with him.Everyonelooking at me, and no doubt judging me, was bad enough.Butanswering reporters’ questions was super awkward and uncomfortable.EventhoughIwas able to mention the resort and the pubs—the whole point was to get us as much publicity as possible—them asking aboutmemade me squirm.
Itwas a glimpse intoChase’slife.Hefaces these people every time he leaves his house—people snapping pictures when he’s going about his daily life, asking questions about the woman he’s with, wanting to know what he thinks about a bad review of a movie, or commenting on the socks he’s wearing.
Ifmy life was like that,I’dnever want to leave the house.Talkabout living in a gilded cage.
Itwirl my fork in the pasta.Mybelly needs some carbs to shut it up.
“Anyway,” he says, returning to the subject at hand. “Evenif you weren’t completely at ease with all the attention, it served its purpose.Everyreporter wanted to know who you were and why you were there.Soeveryone got to hear aboutToastedTomatoand the resort.Andit’s bound to get a mention in the thousand articles about us tomorrow.”
Iswallow the herby pasta with a gulp. “There’llbe a thousand articles tomorrow?”Thethought turns my stomach enough thatIput down my fork.
“Oh, yeah.Thatgoes with the territory.Isee the enormous amountIget paid for movies partially as compensation for the lack of privacy that comes with the job.”
“That’sa very noble way to look at it.”Anda refreshing change from actors who resent the attention of fans without whom they wouldn’t have their millions.
“AndItry to do the bestIcan with the money too,”Chasesays. “Imean, obviouslyI’mstarting to use some of it to invest for the future, like with you guys.ButI’malso forming a foundation to teach theater skills in prisons.Andthe inmates will produce shows for the other prisoners and the staff.”
He’sa fucking saint.Ahot one.Whoseems interested in me.
Whatthe hell is wrong with me?WhyamInot throwing myself at this man?Aworld of women would give anything to be sitting whereIam now.Sowhy amInot melting into a puddle in my seat?ShouldIcheck my pulse?AmInot alive?
“Studieshave shown it can help boost inmates’ self-esteem and literacy,” he continues. “Anythingthat mighthelp turn someone’s life around once they’re back out in society sounds good to me.”Hetakes another slice of his buttery steak.
“That’sincredible.Thatyou’d use your time and money for such a good cause.Alot of people in your position would be cruising around on yachts, swilling champagne, surrounded by a dozen models.”
“Soundslike hell on earth to me.Can’tbear hanging out with peopleIbarely know.I’dmuch rather have an evening with a few friends or my family.”
