“First of all, please tell me you did not compare her and me to the two of you in that conversation.”
“No. I just thought—”
“Second of all, don’t compare us. Ever. Your relationship is nothing like ours was. Okay? So, if that’s why you wanted me to come here, I have to stop you now.”
“It’s not,” I reply quickly. “I just . . . I don’t know what I’m trying to say. Money is clearly a big thing for Sydney. It’s never been an issue for me, so how do I discuss it without coming off as such a tool?”
Tripp laughs. “Yeah, that’s a hard call.”
“For instance, she said my house reeks of expensive things. I didn’t even know what to say. Does she think I’m tossing my wealth in her face? I’m not. I don’t know any different. I just wanted a nice place for her and the baby to stay.
“And then she asked me what my plans were today, and I have none. Hang out, I guess. Do whatever I want before I go to class. Meanwhile, she’s working a fucking double at her job, putting her on her feet for endless hours of the day.”
“Well, you—”
“And then I texted her and told her I was headed to the gym, because she’d already left, of course, and she said she was headed to the library to study for a couple hours before work.”
I pause to gauge Tripp’s reaction. He’s just watching me with wide eyes.
“I feel like an idiot. We are total opposites. I thought living together would be easy, yet one day in and I feel like I need to get a job or something, so we have at least one thing in common.”
I never noticed any of this before. Then again, we hung out on campus and didn’t really need to go deep into the details back then.
Tripp starts laughing and settles under the squat bar.
“This isn’t funny. I want this to work, but what do we talk about?”
“The baby,” he grunts out as he lowers himself.
“Well duh, but other than that. I want us to have a solid relationship.”
“Then get a job. Let her pay for things. Ask her to hang out.”
“She’s always busy. Working.”
“Well, take it day by day. Ask her if she needs you to do anything when she’s at work. This is all new for her too. For all you know, she could think this arrangement is the best thing to happen to her all while you’re freaking out.”
I highly doubt that’s what’s happening in her head.
“I really didn’t think this through.”
“Yeah. I felt the same way when I moved in with Lennox and look at how well that turned out.”
“Happy in love. I don’t think that’s in the cards for me and Sydney.”
“Why not?”
“Um, because we got drunk one night and had sex and now she’s pregnant and we just moved in together for the baby. Dating or love isn’t exactly on the list.”
“Maybe not yet.”
I shake my head. I barely convinced Sydney to live with me. There is no way she’d date me.
“Ask her.”
“You are the worst at advice.”
“Why? Because I’m blunt? Trust me. Being blunt is best. Less confusion that way.”
