Page 133 of Not In The Contract
“You’re sitting around sulking when you have the perfect girl waiting for you!” Animated hand movements punctuated her frustration with me. “Grow a pair of tits and go get her. It’s really that simple.”
I snorted, a mixture of surprise and guilt swirling within me. “If it were simple, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I wouldn’t be tied up in knots and losing sleep over it.”
“Don’t you see? You’re the one doing that to yourself, Alex,” Taylor argued. “Your knots, your sleepless nights, your overcomplications to a situation that can be fixed with a simple text.”
She didn’t wait for me to respond. In fact, she didn’t seem to even care about what I was about to say or how I felt. Taylor scooped up her purse and made her way out, pausing at the door to leave me with a stern look.
“And I want to see you at the next brunch, or else.”
Deflated and defeated, I stared at the empty doorway for longer than was necessary, my mind reeling with Taylor’s take on things. I jumped in my chair when my phone pinged again. Expecting to see Jamie’s name, my heart leapt into my throat when it was Tamera I was reading instead. Her text was short and to the point, and a slow smile tugged at the corners of my lips. It was time for me to grow a pair.
45. Sandwiches and Sunshine
Devon
Myapartmentwasbathedin warm morning light, and I found myself in a whirlwind of culinary chaos. Tamera moved around the kitchen in a blur of movements as she put together a picnic of gargantuan proportions.
“Aren’t you glad I talked you into trading your books for some sun?” she mused, dipping strawberries in melted chocolate. She made a big deal of licking the drips that ran down her hands.
“The audacity,” I grumbled, stealing a fresh strawberry and popping it into my mouth before she could protest.
Tamera chuckled, snapping another container closed and promptly moving onto the next. “Be as miserable as you want,” she said, unsheathing a loaf of bread. “But you’ll see. One minute in the glorious sunshine and you’ll be a whole new person.”
“I don’t want to be a new person,” I replied in a sulk. “There’s nothing wrong with the person I am right now, thanks.”
Tam quirked an eyebrow as she glared at me, her actions paused. “You’re kidding, right? Moping around, nose buried in books, neglecting your best friend… You like this person? Because she’s beginning to get on my nerves.”
I slid off my stool and rounded the counter so I could help out. Picking up a knife, I appointed myself the official butter marshal while Tam dealt out sandwich fillings.
“First of all,” I brandished the knife close enough to her face to make her squint as she watched the tip of it, “my best friend has been neglecting me, not the other way around.”
She laughed heartily. “Quit giving me grief over my love life, please. I’m here now, aren’t I?”
I let her have it, unable to get into an easy banter about love. There was nothing easy about it from where I was standing. The past few days had been a special kind of hell, trying to distract myself from all things Alex. I’d even cut down on my time at the office in a last ditch effort to clear my mind of her.
I surveyed the assortment spread out in front of us, grappling for a change of topic. “Are you sure this isn’t too much food?” I asked, hoping she’d take the bait.
Tamera brightened. “There’s no such thing. We’re going for a proper picnic experience, Dev. It’s so much more than just sustenance. It’s about ambiance.”
I sighed, placing an extravagant cupcake onto a plate. “Ambiance, huh? I still don’t understand how we went from thesis discussions to a full-blown picnic.”
She wore a cheeky grin and winked at me. “Because, my dear friend, you’ve been buried in those books for far too long now. It’s time to give your brain cells some fresh air and sunlight.”
I rolled my eyes, a fond smile tugging at my lips. “You’re impossible, Tam.”
“And you love it,” she quipped, packing the last sandwich. “Now let’s get these treats packed up and get going. The great outdoors beckons!”
With Tamera’s infectious energy spurring me on, we filled the picnic basket with what could possibly feed a small army. My favorites were front and center, surrounded by a variety of finger foods, fruit, and some slightly decadent pastries for dessert.
“This is going to be a picnic to remember.” She gave a satisfied nod once the basket was crammed with the last morsel.
I chuckled, arranging a few neatly folded napkins. “You really take this picnic thing seriously, don’t you? It’s a little much, if I’m being honest.”
“Good. Because a little much is exactly the right amount you need.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “Grab the blanket, and let’s get this outdoor adventure going.”
Armed with the overstuffed picnic basket and a cheerful enthusiasm I hadn’t felt in a while, we set off for the park. The sun was already high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the city. It was the kind of day that begged for people to be nothing but in it.
When we got there, the vibrant scene that met us was like something out of a feel-good movie. Kids playing tag, couples lazing about, and families chatting over picnic spreads. It was a heartwarming spectacle that made me almost forget about my thesis and the tangled mess of emotions occupying my mind.
