Slowly, Graham, Hero, and Beck pack their things too.
“Dinner at my house next weekend,” Hero calls out.
“Next weekend?” Becks clarifies.
“Yeah.”
“Natalie’s engagement party is next weekend.”
“Oh, right. I forgot.”
All eyes drift to me.
Again.
“What now?” I ask, not moving from my spot. I intend to finish more work before heading home for the day.
“Nothing,” Hero says while Beck and Graham mumble something I imagine is along the same lines.
For as long as I can remember, all my friends have had this fantasy that my best friend Natalie Miller and I are supposed to end up together.
No matter how many times we both tell them that we are nothing more than friends, just friends, the best of friends, actually, it’s like they don’t hear us. Hell, Natalie is getting married, and as Beck just mentioned, her engagement party is next weekend. An engagement and a wedding all in under six months seems fast to me, but maybe that’s just how it goes for some people.
Truth be told, I think that’s more a Griffin, her fiancé, thing than a Natalie thing. I’ve known her for a decade and rushing seems way more like her fiancé’s style. Then again, he did take four years to propose to her, so what do I know?
I wave goodbye as the guys all leave me behind. I glance around The Space—our members are all focused on their work. My group had been sitting at the biggest table in the room, and now that the guys are gone, there’s no sense in me taking up space out here.
I grab my things and head into the office in the back.
Maybe it’s time I did something significant with my life: move to a different state or perhaps even date someone and actually put effort into it.
Neither of those thoughts appeals to me, though.
I love Wind Valley and want to stay here. If I ever left, it would be to Lovers, where my grandma lives, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I close the door behind me, and as soon as I pull out the chair and sit down, a text comes in.
Natalie
Hey, Casanova! Are we still on for tomorrow?
I groan at her nickname for me. Ten years. Ten years, and she won’t give me a new one. I think I’ve earned it by now. Then again, I’ve only ever had one for her, but since she met Griffin, it doesn't feel suitable to use it. I just call her Natalie or Nat now, and she seems okay with it.
Tobias
Pizza at my place, and let’s pick a new nickname for me.
Natalie:
Perfect. I’ll bring my laptop so we can go over your social media posts for next month. And not a chance ??
Splendid. That’s exactly what I want to do right now when my writing career is at a standstill: create social media posts. But hell, just because I’m stuck on the words doesn't mean I need to fail in all areas.
Tobias
Bring your A-game for the posts.
Natalie:
