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She’s referring to my latest investment in a start-up tech company that’s developing a mental health app called For Me. My work on this deal is part of what’s kept me from the group over the last month. Mostly though, it’s been the fundraising and PR work I’ve been doing for my political campaign that’s kept me busy.
“Thank you. I believe we’ll do important work through the app.”
“I do too,” she says as her husband, Jameson, arrives with Owen and Seth, Poppy’s husband.
“Dinner has been pushed back half an hour due to a mix up with reservations,” Jameson says to the group. It’s his hotel we’re staying in and he doesn’t look pleased about this mix up.
While the group discusses dinner, Charlize, who is sitting next to me, leans in and nudges shoulders. “I’m so glad you came.”
I turn and catch her warm smile. “I suspect you would have found a way to kidnap me if I hadn’t.”
Her smile morphs into a full grin. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Seriously, though, Owen was so excited when you said yes.”
I arrow my brows. “So excited?”
“That’s girl speak. Translated to bro speak, he casually told me you said yes and then said something in golf speak about ‘only birdies’ for him during your game tomorrow. I still have no idea what that means, but I know it will make sense to you. What I took from the whole conversation was that he was so excited to have his best friend along for the weekend.”
“He won’t be so excited when he’s hitting out of the rough tomorrow. Your boy has been off his game lately.”
“I love it when you guys talk to me in a different language.”
“If you played a game with us every now and then, it wouldn’t be a different language.”
“That’s a no from me.”
One of the things I appreciate about Charlize is her determination to give Owen space to maintain his friendships. I know her choice not to play golf with us is for two reasons: that determination, and because she doesn’t really enjoy the game.
“Perhaps one day you’ll find the same taste for golfing that you have for hiking.”
Poppy, Charlize’s cousin, hears this and looks at me. “No woman in the history of women ever preferred golfing to hiking, Bradford. It disturbs me that you would even consider that a possibility. I think you need to find new hiking buddies because it sounds like yours aren’t doing it right.”
The entire table is now in on our conversation and laughter breaks out at the hiking reference, which is a sex reference. That second night we spent time together, Charlize and I had a conversation while she was drunk; a conversation in which she began referencing sex as hiking. It’s now a common topic with this group.
Adeline raises her wine glass. “To men who hike well.”
Poppy lifts her glass and gives Adeline a pointed look. “And to men who floss.”
Adeline rolls her eyes but laughs and nods. “To women who like to boss other women into better boundaries.”
Owen eyes me.You got any idea what they’re talking about? I give him a look back.Not a fucking clue.He nods.Sounds about right.
Time spent with these women can be enlightening as to what women think about many topics but generally, I wade my way through most of it without any notion of what they’re talking about.
Charlize leans in again and asks quietly, “How’s Cecelia?”
“Next question.”
“Okay, I’ll rephrase it. How are you?”
“I’m good, Charlize. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“It’s my job as your second best friend to worry about you.”
“My second best friend?”
“Yes, surely being your best friend’s fiancée makes me your second best friend by default.”
If there’s one person who never fails to draw me from a mood, it’s Charlize. The things she comes out with always make me smile.
