AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ChapterThirty-Two
Hallie
I stared at the screen on my phone, torn between whether to answer or ignore it. I was still frustrated, still uncertain about what to do with Chase, so I ignored it. As soon as it stopped ringing, my heart ached a little. I was tempted to lift the phone and call him right back. I didn't.
The phone rang again, and a little spurt of anticipation zinged through me. I hoped it was Chase again. It was Jonathan. This one, I decided to answer.
“Hey, hey, what's up?” he asked. “You texted.”
Oh, god, I had. “I don't know what to do about Chase.”
“I thought things were going well.”
“They were, but he doesn't understand my friendship with you because we went on one date.”
“Ugh. He’s being a dumbass. We couldn't even kiss. Does he know that?”
“Yes. You're my best friend, and I don’t think he quite gets that part.”
Jonathan let out a soft sigh. “Right. He's a straight guy. Sometimes, they're stupid.”
“Really?”
“Not to be stereotypical, but yes. And I'm the stereotypical gay best friend.”
I burst out laughing. “You’re not to me.”
“I know, but society thinks I am. Do you love him?”
“I do. But it's all happened so fast. And I'm pregnant. That seems to complicate it.”
“Or simplify it,” he pointed out.
“How the hell does an unplanned baby, a freaking miracle baby really, simplify anything?”
“Sometimes big things are clarifying.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that thisisa big thing. Look, new relationships, especially ones that get serious fast, can be overwhelming. That's a fact. Then sorting out each others’ pasts can be even more overwhelming. What are his relationship past like?”
“He hasn't had a serious relationship. There's some baggage with his dad and his mom who passed away.”
“What has he told you about her?”
“Not much of anything. His sister has implied there’s some stuff.”
“Stuff?” Jonathan teased lightly. “Well, why don't you ask her? Or, better yet, ask him.”
I grumbled, and my friend laughed. “Look, I am not an expert at relationships. I've only had one serious one, and I married the guy. But the most important thing is communication. You're going to have good days and bad days. You're going to have uncomfortable topics, but if you avoid them, you're never going to solve them. There may not even be anything to solve, but you have to be able to talk about it. What exactly happened?”
“He overheard me saying I love you to you when we were finishing up a call. He seemed uncomfortable about it. I got stressed, I guess.”
“You guess?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. I guess, and that’s it. I told him we should take a break. I think we should until he can stop being a dumbass.”
Jonathan chuckled. “Brilliant. Well, I think you should tell him you'd like to talk. We have been best friends for years, and we tried to date. That didn’t work out for obvious reasons, but it might be intimidating. Chris had to get used to my friendship with you.”
