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He grins. “Yes. This is Heather.Heather, this is Roxie. We go way back.”
“Nice to meet you,” Heather saysand offers me her hand in a handshake.
“So, you finally got the courageto ask her out. I’m so happy for both of you!”
“Thanks,” Rick says with a smile.Then I catch him looking past my shoulder. “And who’s this?”
Chris is standing behind me withhands in his pockets. His shoulders are raised a bit, and he lookslike a bashful teenager.
“Everyone, this is Chris. He livesin my building. Chris, this is my old friend Rick and his girl,Heather.”
Chris shakes their hands, only afaint smile on his face.
“So, what are you two up to?” Rickasks.
“We’ve just finished lunch, sowe’re heading home. You?”
“We just got here. We’ll stroll abit, check out some shops, then probably get an early dinner.”
“Sounds fun,” I say. “Well, it wasgood to see you both. And nice to meet you, Heather.”
“Same,” Heather replies with awarm smile.
“That was a nice surprise,” I sayto Chris once we’re back on our way to his car. “I’m glad those twogot together. Last time I talked with him, he was dragging his feetabout asking her out.”
Chris looks straight ahead, hisshoulders still raised. “Rick. That sounds familiar.”
“Yeah. I might’ve mentioned himbefore.”
There’s a little jolt in his body,but he keeps moving, eyes dead ahead. “I remember. You mentionedhim in San Diego. That’s the guy you went to see after that nightat your place. When I left.”
Me and my big mouth. “Yeah.”
That muscle in his jawlineflickers, but he says nothing.
“Well, I am really glad for himand Heather,” I say. “He deserves to be happy. He has a little girland not the greatest relationship with his ex.”
Chris nods but doesn’trespond.
On the ride home, his knuckles arewhite on the steering wheel. He never meets my eyes, just nods orshakes his head when I try to talk to him, and eventually Istop.
Once we’re back in the building,he leans against the opposite wall from me on the elevator, withhands behind his back, eyes on the floor. I try to give him a hug,but he recoils, like he can’t stand to be near me, so I put up myhands and retreat to my corner.
We get to our floor and reach mycondo first. Mere hours ago, he was pinning my sweaty body to thedoor, unable to wait for me to let us in. Now he’s an arm’s lengthaway with hands in his pockets, saying, “I have a bunch of choresto catch up on. I’ll talk to you later,” before he walks down thehallway to his place and gets inside, all without sparing me aglance.
Oh, hell no.
I march over and knock on thedoor.
He opens immediately. “What?”
“What’s up with you?” I sidestephim and get into his apartment without waiting to be invited.
“Nothing. I just remembered I hadstuff to do around the house.”
“Don’t give me that stonewallingbullshit. Everything was fine until the Thanksgiving talk, and thenwe ran into Rick and Heather, and now you’re acting like youswallowed a storm cloud.”
He runs his hand through his hair.“I don’t… I can’t…”
