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I blinked to see that Olive and Eva had not only arrived, but had taken their seats and ordered drinks while my mind wandered in a million different directions.
“Hey girls. Sorry about that, I guess I zoned out.”
“That was more than zoned out, honey. We’re here now, so tell us what’s on your mind?” Eva’s gentle voice, minus the sass, had tears stinging the back of my eyes, because if my girls could tell, I was worse off than I realized.
“Yeah, come on Soph and spill it.” Olive flashed a sweet smile. “You’ve been acting weird for weeks and we know it has something to do with you and Stone. Even Liam has noticed that Stone isn’t himself.”
“Well it’s his own damn fault, isn’t it?” I gasped at the vitriol in my words, surprised by the venom I heard. “Sorry.”
“Oh no,” Eva said and shook her head as she flagged down a passing waitress. “A pitcher of margaritas and a pink lemonade with extra lime, thanks.” She turned back to me. “Don’t say sorry, tell us what the hell is going on.”
“Stone and I kissed. Twice.”
“Wow,” both of them said at the same time, staring at me for at least a full minute before Eva and Olive turned to each other, each pulling cash from their respective wallets and handing it over.
“Wait, what the hell is going on?” At least my friends had the decency to seem a little embarrassed. Emphasis on a little. “You guys were betting on me? On us?”
Eva nodded, completely unapologetic. “I bet Olive that the inevitable kiss would happen soon after the sexy college professor showed up at The Mayflower.” She arched a dark brow my way and shrugged. “Olive knew you would freak out about the kiss, whenever it happened.”
I shook my head still in disbelief, even though I shouldn’t have been all that shocked. “I can’t believe you guys bet on my love life, or rather my lack of love life.”
Eva laughed, complete with a snort and shook her head. “Get over it. Matchmaking is our business, and watching this thing with you and Stone play out up close and personal is like an anthropologist getting to study a civilization before it dies out.”
Olive snorted a laugh and shook her head. “Yeah, just like that. Only less insulting.” Her smile took the edge off my growing anger and frustration that everyone seemed to be having a good laugh at my expense.
“I’m glad this is just a big gag to you guys,” I whisper-yelled at them just as the waiter returned with our drinks and took our order of nachos, miniature burritos and tacos. “How can Stone just throw away our friendship over one little kiss? He told me we’d be all right…eventually. Can you believe that? Eventually!” I was having a bit of a freak out and my friends stared at me like I was losing my mind. Which honestly, I might be. A little.
Olive, the patient one of the group, rolled her eyes and let out a heavy, almost frustrated sigh. “It’s not one little kiss, as you so blithely put it Sophie. He’s in love with you.”
I shook my head. “No, he just thinks that he is, and this misguided thought is going to ruin everything. Everything!”
“No Soph, he’s not trying to ruin anything. He’s just trying to make it better, or if you prefer, he’s trying to deepen your connection.” Eva sighed, her annoyance rising to the point she took a giant unladylike gulp of her margarita. “He’s been in love with you for a long time. A really long time. Imagine how he feels.”
“He’s confused.”
Olive put her hand on Eva’s arm when she let out a low growl. “Okay, you want Stone to move on from you and a find a woman of his own?”
“Yes, of course that’s what I want.” He was my best friend and I wanted him to be happy.
“Then he’ll spend his Friday nights with her. Probably the entire weekend, and you’ll see him less and less.” Olive let her words sink in before she went on. “Eva and I already see you less because of the men in our lives. Do you think Stone will put you ahead of his girlfriend? His fiancée? His wife?” Olive shook her head. “He’s not going to be your puppy dog forever, running in to save you whenever you need it.”
“I don’t want him to!” I insisted because I didn’t. “That’s just what we do for each other.”
“You don’t do that for him though Sophie, but you’re okay with him doing it for you all the time. If you don’t want his love, give him the space he needs to get over you and move on with his life. Just don’t be upset when you don’t like what that looks like.”
