Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“It’s not a big deal,” I wave it off, not caring.
“It is!” Deb howls. “She basically cheated on him!”
“We were going through a divorce,” I correct her.
“Yeah man, but she did claim a kid was yours when it wasn’t,” Matt shakes his head. “That’s so fucked up. It’s not the Holly we knew.”
“I still say I bet it was her parents,” Deb sighs. “Parents are evil.”
“Babe, it’s gonna be okay,” Matt kisses her, and I cringe.
“Honestly, we both grew into very different people,” I explain, trying to ignore their tongues. “Okay, please wait until I leave,” I cover my eyes.
“Grow up, Josh,” Deb shoves me. “And by the way, Mom and Dad want me to invite Holly and her parents to the engagement party, so maybe you can call them and let them know what a bad idea this whole thing is!”
“I’m not getting involved,” I hold my hands up.
“Fine,” Deb sighs before pausing. “So I want to tell you about Lisa Caraway.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?” I look at them both questioningly.
“We went to high school with her,” Matt says, making a face, just as Deb swats him.
“She’s in New York now!” She jumps excitedly. “And she would love to reconnect if you’re not doing anything this weekend.”
“Deb,” I groan. “You have got to stop this. I’m not interested.”
“You need to start dating again!”
“I am,” I cough. “I just went on one this weekend.”
“You did?!” She shrieks. “With whom? Do I know her?”
“It’s… new?” I’m flying off the seat of my pants here. I probably shouldn’t have even said anything, since Luci made it clear what we went on wasn’t a date.
“So when’s dinner?” I attempt to change the subject, but can already tell Deb isn’t going to let this go easily.
When I arrive back at my apartment, I head straight to bed. I love my sister to death, but she’s exhausting. Plus, six am comes quickly. I undress, getting under the covers, and stare at the ceiling.
By midnight, I’m still looking at the same damn spot, unable to sleep. I’m tossing and turning, feeling uneasy from what Luci said about not wanting to talk often. This whole time I really thought once we saw each other again it would be as if nothing came between us. I know it’s ridiculous and unfair for me to think that, after what I did and all, but we’ve always had this unexplainable bond. We belong together, and now she has a boyfriend?
I turn over again, angrily.
I never pictured her moving on because I never moved on. Yet she was pretty clear that we only have a chance at being friends. She has to still feel more. How can she not?
By two am, I can’t take it anymore. Against my better judgment, I find myself reaching towards my nightstand and grabbing my phone.
Her name appears on the screen, and before I think any better, my thumbs are pressing away at a text.
I have to know… did you ever regret what we did?
Her answer is immediate, but short.
No.
It’s all I need to finally sleep soundly tonight.
~*~*~*~*~
The next few days pass slowly, and I’m thankful for when Friday arrives. I haven’t heard anything from Luci, nor have I called her. I’m a wreck about it, but that’s nothing new.
I debate visiting my parents in Tarrytown, just to get away, since everything around here reminds me of her. Hell, I even contemplate calling up one of my recent hookups - there’s Tara, Samantha, hell, even Victoria, but that usually makes things worse; I merely long for the real thing.
I unlock my office door, and the sound echoes loudly into the empty halls. I usually don’t come in this early, because doing so always reminds me of her - of the days she couldn’t wait to see me and would get here unreasonably early too. It was like an unspoken pledge between us, and as the days flew, the hour got earlier and earlier. We never arranged for it - it just happened. I smile to myself at the memories as I shut the door behind me.
Reconciling with Luci isn’t going nearly as well as I had hoped. Of course all my hopes were unrealistic, but one can dream.
I close my eyes and play out the reunion I always pictured. The one where she runs into my arms and our lips meet, and it’s like heaven on earth as I hold her and we kiss.
I pick up my phone without thinking, seeing Victoria’s name a few numbers down, but I press on Luci’s instead.
“I wanted to apologize for the other day,” I say before she even gets out a hello. “I said friends and I crossed a line. It’s my fault things are like this, and I have to deal with it.”
“Well hello to you too,” she laughs.