A Guy Walks Into My Bar - Lauren Blakely Page 0,96
old age.”
“Just one lady,” he says.
I shoot him an I gotcha grin. “So you and Penny are a thing?”
He laughs. “Seems we are.”
I wag a finger at him. “It’s about time, old man. It’s about time.”
“Yes. Yes, it is.”
While we wander down the street, his phone buzzes. He snags it from his pocket, slides open a text, smiles, and taps out a reply.
Jealousy seizes me like a monster, thrashing inside me. I’m envious of my own damn father for texting his lady friend. I draw a deep breath, trying to settle the dragon, trying to be happy for my dad.
Because I am happy for him, just sad for me.
He nods to a side street. “I’m going to take off.”
“To see Penny,” I say, forcing a smile that’s mostly legitimate.
His eyes twinkle. “I am. She makes me happy.” He draws me in for a quick embrace. “Good to see you. Text me tomorrow.”
“I will.” I watch him as he heads down the street.
Is he . . . whistling?
He’s bloody whistling.
My dad is whistling a happy tune, and I am a sorry sack, getting pissed on a Wednesday night and heading home alone.
Once I’m inside my flat, the door groans closed, and the emptiness enrobes me.
I turn to a playlist, but as I flick through a few songs, I decide I hate them all now.
I think, as I flop down on my couch, that I actually hate everything.
Opening my text app, I scroll through the names on my recent threads.
Maeve, telling me about the jukebox she’s been eyeing.
Maeve: I’ll add all your favorite tunes to it!
Then Taron, inviting me to check out a street fair this weekend with him and his boyfriend. I actually groan out loud. Not that I don’t like hanging with him and his guy. But I don’t want to go to a fucking street fair, because nothing could top the last one.
I find a note from Naveen next.
Naveen: This is not a drill. We are going to this new Greek place Sunday. The whole crew. Making rezzies. I know you have the night off. You’re going to be there. No excuses.
Sam’s text is next.
Sam: Round of pool tomorrow?
That’s all for new messages.
None from Fitz—not that I was expecting any.
Still.
With my chest feeling hollow and my apartment sounding far too empty, I stick my finger in the fire. I click on the last note from him, the one he sent me when he got on the plane last week.
A picture of him in his seat.
Fitz: Thought you might enjoy this for your “wank bank.” It’s me in first class. You’d look good in first class, babe. Also, I fucking love you.
As my chest aches, I run my thumb over his words, then the image. I’ve read it ten thousand times. I’ll read it ten thousand more.
Then, my own reply.
Dean: Keeping it. Definitely keeping it. Also, I fucking love you too.
I want to reply, to add a new message, to start this up again. But this is where the thread ends.
I let the phone fall to the floor with a dull thunk.
A WEEK LATER
Also known as the time I figure it out.
40
Fitz
Fourteen days.
I must be made of iron. I’ve lasted fourteen whole days without talking to Dean.
Or texting Dean.
I killed it in training camp. I’m crushing it in the preseason games, and I am feeling good. I tell Ransom as much when we leave through the player’s entrance after our second win.
“Guess it’s working. Our pact,” he says.
“Seems to be,” I add, then tell him I’ll catch him tomorrow, since my agent is waiting for me.
I jog over to Haven, give her a kiss on the cheek, and grab a Lyft across town with her.
“You were on fire tonight,” she remarks.
“That’s my job,” I tell her.
She pats my thigh. “I like it when you do your job.”
I laugh. “Because when I do my job, I make you money.”
She smiles wickedly. “Exactly. But also because it makes you happy. You look happy.”
“Hockey makes me happy,” I say, but it’s not the only thing. Something else does. Rather, someone else, and I wish I were seeing him tonight.
I try to shake off thoughts of Dean so I can stay present. Haven deserves that much.
The Lyft lets us off in Chelsea at a restaurant she picked. “I’ve been dying to try this place. I hear great things about it,” she says as we head into the swank eatery. “The curry is supposed to be amazing.”