“Too soon?”
“Much. Not to mention, I dated one of them already.”
“Does that really count, though? You were in middle school.”
I thought of Beck when we were young and, more recently, of him slinging drinks behind the bar at O’Malley’s. The vision was complete with no less than three females hanging off his arm drooling.
“Yes,” I insisted. “It counts. I’m also 0 percent interested in a serial dater like him.”
“You were the one who said no more relationships. I’d think he was perfect.”
“No. Not perfect.”
“And the other one? What’s his name?”
“Parker something or other. Mason and gang met him in college.”
“I’ve heard him mentioned here and there. Probably ran into him at some point.”
“Probably,” I agreed. Cedar Falls wasn’t that big, and while I hadn’t been back long, Jules never left. “Although you are a bit of a homebody so…”
“A bit?” She laughed.
“Okay, more than a bit.”
Jules suddenly leapt up. She took my glass and headed to the kitchen. “We are opposite in so many ways,” she said, refilling us.
I grabbed my phone. We’d talked about ordering some Chinese, and suddenly I was starving. “Don’t they say opposites attract?” I asked as Jules came back into the living room.
“I think that’s in terms of dating.” She handed back my wine, now filled.
“Hmm, well, either way.” I lifted my glass. As we clinked, I said, “To friends. I honestly don’t know what I’d have done without you and Pia these past few weeks.”
“You’d have been just fine.”
“Eventually. Maybe,” I said as Jules headed back to her couch. “Either way, I appreciate it. Chinese is on me. What are you getting?”
“Chicken and broccoli, white rice. And an egg roll.”
You’d have been just fine.
Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I was grateful for the friendships that had helped pull me through. I’d have relapses, obviously. Memories that would undoubtedly trigger me. But the moping had to stop. He just wasn’t worth it.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen that famous Delaney smile.”
I looked up from my phone. “It’s been a while since I’ve felt like smiling.”
To think a man—no, a boy—had so thoroughly broken me. I thought I was stronger than that, but I guess life still had some lessons to share. My friends and family were all I needed. I might even put a “no boys allowed” sign on my front door.
“What’s so funny?” Jules asked as I called the restaurant.
“Nothing,” I said. “Just me being silly.”
“Delaney. Is. Back. I love it.”
“Yes,” I said, waiting for an answer and hoping to convince myself it was true. “Yes, she is.”
4
