the smile on her face telling me everything I need to know. “We’re just keeping it casual, right now.”
“So, just fuck buddies?” I ask.
“You make it sound so crass.” She laughs, but I can hear the slight hurt in her words.
“Why not ask him for more? I can tell that’s what you want,” I press.
“Because that’s not what he wants, right now, and I don’t want to ruin what we do have going.”
“You deserve more than to be someone’s booty call,” I tell her.
“I know,” she says, her voice cracking. I look over quick and catch her swiping at a tear falling from her lashes. “I thought that I was good with the friends with benefits arrangement, but I don’t know that I am, after all,” she admits.
“So, tell him. Put it all out there, and he needs to either shit or get off the pot. He can’t have his cake and eat it too, in this situation. If friends with benefits isn’t working for you, then it can’t be an option for him. Don’t settle just to make him happy.”
“You make it sound so easy,” she says, sniffling. I reach into my center console and pull out a few tissues, handing them over.
“The few times I’ve been around him, lately, he’s been very into you. I imagine he’s just scared or used to the friends with benefits arrangement. But given a chance to be in an actual committed relationship, he might flourish and be the best boyfriend.”
“And if he says it’s friends with benefits or nothing?” she asks.
“Then you hold your head up high, tell him good luck with his right hand, and you walk away with your dignity, knowing that you stood up for yourself. It will be his loss, and if that happens, I won’t be surprised if he’s groveling at your feet within a week, asking for a second chance.”
“You’re good for my ego.” Allison’s tears turn to laughs. “I’ll take your words under advisement,” she says as I pull in to her place.
“Want me to stick around and help you set things up?” I ask before we get out to unload.
“No, I’m going to just relax, bust out a bottle of wine and call it a night. Plus, you’ve got a sexy man waiting on you. He wouldn’t be pleased with me if I kept you longer than I already have.”
“He’d get over it,” I tell her. “I’m not dropping my friends just because I have a boyfriend. Sisters before misters,” I say, flashing her an exaggerated wink.
Allison doubles over, laughing. “He’d be so mopey about it, and you know it,” she finally says.
“Maybe,” I admit. “But he’d get over it. BJs go a long way in turning a man's attitude around.”
“You know it,” she agrees with me, her attitude already turning back around.
We unload my car in a few trips, leaving only my things in the back.
“Thanks for going with me today. It was just what we needed.” I pull Allison into a hug once we’ve set everything down inside her place.
“Agreed. Let's plan on a pedicure night sometime soon.”
“Of course!” I tell her before I head out. I look back once more before she closes the door behind me, and know that things will be fine for my best friend. She’s just got to stand up for herself and show that man how good things could be for them if he’d just give things a shot. Maybe I’ll bring things up to Tucker and see what he thinks, since he knows Lee just as well as I know Allison.
I pull out of Allison’s place and head for my own. I unload my things in just two trips. I didn’t need as much as she did, and my items weren’t as large. She needed some new shelves from IKEA, where I just got a few kitchen things and some other decorative knickknacks. I even picked up a couple small things for Tucker's house.
“Hello,” I answer, my phone buzzing on the kitchen counter where it rests next to my keys.
“Hey, baby. Are you going to be here soon?” Tucker’s voice fills my kitchen.
“Just finished putting things away. Did you ever decide on dinner?”
“Paisley wants pizza. Do you have any issues with that?”
“That sounds good to me. Are we going out or ordering in?” I ask, picking up my phone from the counter and heading toward my bedroom. I pull out my overnight bag, placing it on the end of my bed. I toss in some