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EDIE
It’s been way too long since I had a vacation.” I look out the plane's window as it circles the airport, eager to collect our bags from baggage claim and get to the resort. More than ever, I need a change of scenery.
“You and me both, Edie.”
Henry leans over, and the warmth of his body seeps into mine. No matter what level of train wreck my life is, Henry is my rock and helps keep me steady. I’ve had more than one friend proclaim he’s in love with me and I should date him, but that would be…weird. Henry is the benchmark for how I rate guys I date. He would be my perfect man if he were the settling down type. But he only dates women for a few months, tops, and I don’t want to date him and lose our amazing friendship.
Sure, we’ve made jokes about “if we’re single when we’re thirty-five, we’ll get married,” but they’re just jokes. I mean, me dating unsuitable men is why I’m single. Henry is a catch, and if his current girlfriend doesn’t get him to settle him down, he won’t be single for long. Yet he never stays with a woman for very long.
“This is going to be a good trip.” I cross my fingers as I say this.
My heart was broken, yet again, a few months ago. I’ve been a serial dater for years because every time I try to find a man to settle down with, it always fails. It’s starting to seem like I’m not long-term relationship material, and I should adopt a bunch of cats and accept early spinsterhood.
I’ve tried to figure out why I keep choosing men that aren’t good for me. People say it’s the men, but… I’m the common factor. Whenever I try to settle into a relationship with a man, it never feels right and they usually end up breaking my heart.
* * *
Once we'reout of the airport and bouncing along the road in a Jeep, I finally start to relax.
I thought my last boyfriend could be the one. He wasn’t perfect, but everything felt good. It would be a lie if I said it didn’t hurt when my ex broke it off with me. I'm getting too old to keep going through this, and it frustrates me because I don't know what to do.
"You okay over there?" Henry asks. "You drifted off there for a moment."
"Oh, I'm fine." I smile brightly. "I'm clearing my head and getting into vacation mode."
"If you say so." Henry grins at me. “You better not be thinking about that jerk.”
I look at my best friend and laugh. “Guilty as charged. I promise I’m not going to be Sad Edie while we’re here.”
“You be whoever you want to be.”
One of the things I love about my best friend is how he’s always perfectly supportive. He’s not one of those friends who only listens for just so long when something stressful happens before checking out or not returning your calls.
“How are things with Sally?”
Sally is his newest girlfriend. She seems to like him, but Henry doesn’t talk about her much. I can’t tell if he’s quiet because he feels the same way she does or if it’s something else.
“Ah…” Henry sighs. “Sally and I are now ‘used-to-dates’ in each other’s lives.”
“Oh, Henry. I’m sorry to hear that. How come you didn’t say anything?”
“We were never that serious. Your heartbreak was bigger.”
“That’s no reason not to tell me. I can care about more than myself, you know.” I reach out and touch his arm.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
I look at Henry, wondering if he understands his effect on women. Women flock to him, but he never lets any of them close.
"This is a cute town," I say, changing the subject.
We can tell when we're getting closer to Mountain Ridge Resort because more tourist trap shops appear on the side of the road. Almost everyone we see are families, and they're either lily white or sunburnt.
"It's going to be a good trip, Edie," Henry says, reaching over and putting his hand on mine.
"Thanks." I’m looking forward to this trip, but weddings are hard when you’re reluctantly single. It feels like everyone is judging you.
We ride in silence the rest of the way, listening to bubblegum pop music on the radio. With the intense brightness of the music and the sun shining, the happiness of being on vacation takes over. It's like summer vacation when you're a kid, where life expands in front of you, full of options and nothing but fun.
