and look what I do—arrange a fake engagement so they won’t need me.
“We’re going to get you out of this obligation,” I say. “And by the time people are singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to you on your thirtieth, you’re going to have a whole new life in front of you.”
“I don’t even know what I want to do. I’ve never allowed myself to explore any options.”
“I think you do know, but maybe it’s buried deep down. Give it some thought. Take these next two months to figure it out.”
She nods, but I’m not sure whether she’ll do it. “God, I’m sorry. I’m a mess. You didn’t sign up to be a therapist.”
“Technically I think that’s exactly what you sign up for when you’re in a relationship. This is just, like, practice for when I am a husband.”
She laughs. “You probably don’t even want to get married.”
Do I? I think so. I just haven’t found anyone yet. “I think I will when I know I’m with the right person.”
“Kids?” she asks.
I’m not sure if she’s asking for the game or to satisfy her own curiosity. “Ten too many?”
“I think you need to disclose that to your future wife. She might be game.”
“I want four, I think. Then again, I’m almost thirty and I don’t want to be an old dad. So I guess I do want kids, but I’ll take it as is.”
Truth is, with a lot of my friends moving ahead with marriage and kids, I’m starting to feel like I might be the bachelor friend. The fun uncle who has a different woman at every birthday party.
“At least you can have babies up until you die,” she says. “My eggs are shriveling up every day.”
“Thirty is not fifty, calm down. Plus, you’re smokin’ hot. Some guy is gonna snatch you up. Just make sure it’s not Brock Floyd.”
“Man, you got the compliments down.”
“I only speak the truth, you know that.”
“I don’t know… you lied pretty well to your dad the other night.”
I can see from the look in her eyes that this is a legitimate concern for her. I let my arm drop and turn away from her for the first time during this conversation.
“Seth?” Her voice is quiet and unsure.
“I’m not a liar,” I say. “I hate lying.”
“Okay.”
I swivel to face her. “I’m serious. I’ll always tell you the truth. I fucking hate liars and fake people.” My voice comes out with a bite I didn’t intend.
“Okay. I believe you.”
I nod. “Sorry. It’s just Trev. The lies and deceit, it just shattered everything. Even now when he comes home, I won’t believe a word out of his mouth. I hope he gets his life together, but I’ll never trust another word he says.”
She places her hand on my knee and runs it up and down. “I know you guys were close.”
And we were until high school. Growing up, I looked up to Trevor. He was my idol, the coolest guy around, and to see him now is just depressing as fuck. I haven’t called him since he went to rehab this time.
But I’m not going to sit here and cry all my feelings out. “Let’s do a fast question round. We’ll go back and forth to get ready for this damn game.”
Evan takes my change of topic, probably agreeing with me that things were getting too heavy. She swivels so she’s facing me with one leg bent and resting on the bed, the other one stretched out toward the floor. “You first.”
“Favorite color?” I ask.
She laughs. “Purple. You?”
“Orange. Favorite food?”
And we go back and forth with questions and answers until there’s a bang on the door.
“Ready, lovebirds?” Knox says through the door.
I stand and take her hand. “This means nothing. It’s just my friends’ dumb way of finding fun in their life.”
“I’m excited. It’s been a long time, Seth Andrews. I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know about you.”
“And me you. But just between us, what is your favorite sexual position?”
“There are some things you just have to find out on your own.”
I stop as she walks out the door. Was that an invitation? Would I entertain sleeping with her?
Hell yeah, I would.
But that’s just asking for trouble, so it’s never going to happen.
Chapter Fifteen
Evan
Where did that come from? Now he probably thinks I want to sleep with him.
I really need a best friend I can confess things to. I love Elsie, but with nine years between us, there’s a lot I keep to myself.
We walk out of