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It’s utterly absurd. And highly disturbing.
I’ve known Chase forever and never felt about him like that.
I must be going through some sort of late-twenties horny period where I’m looking at even the most inappropriate men as potential mate material.
Shaking the thoughts away, I check my phone and sigh at the lack of notifications.
What I need is for at least one of my friends to show up and join me at my table, providing conversation and encouragement and distraction.
Chase comes over when the couple at a table near me get up to leave. After clearing their dishes, he asks, “What’s wrong with you today?”
“I don’t know. I’m in a mood, and I don’t like it.”
“Did something happen?” He’s sprayed down the table and is wiping it as he talks.
“No. Nothing. It’s just a mood.”
“Usually working perks you up.”
“I know.” I slump farther down in my chair. “But it’s not doing it for me today. Where is everyone?”
“It’s still early. They’ll be along eventually, although Rafe and Jules had some sort of wedding thing to do today, didn’t they?”
“Oh. Yeah. They were meeting with the caterer.” I let out a long breath, trying to will myself out of this mood.
“It doesn’t bother you, does it?”
I blink. “What doesn’t bother me?”
“Them getting married.” He’s done with cleaning now and is standing across the table from me, looking down.
“No. Of course not. I’m happy for them. I don’t have marriage fever or anything. You know me better than that.”
“I know you’re not normally like that, but sometimes stray feelings hit.” His face is unsmiling. Not teasing.
“Yeah, I know. But I don’t think that’s what my feelings are. I don’t even know what they are. I just feel... unsettled. Like I’m waiting for something to happen.”
His forehead wrinkles into four horizontal lines. “What?”
“I don’t even know.” I groan, feeling kind of silly and immature for this vague feeling that can’t be defined or explained. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure it will pass.”
“Oh.” He stands there, staring at me blankly for a minute. Then, “You heard from the boyfriend?”
That’s how he’s always referred to Brian. Never by his name. And never your boyfriend. Just the boyfriend.
“No. He’s really busy.”
His eyebrows arch, and I expect a sarcastic comment, but he moves on to clear another table.
I make a face at his back since now he’s made me feel bad about my relationship with Brian. I was already in an unpleasant mood. I don’t need that piled on top.
Why the hell isn’t Brian texting anyway? I asked him a question yesterday about the road trip, and he never even answered it, not even a quick note about getting back to me as soon as he can.
Even if he’s busy, surely it wouldn’t take more than a few seconds to send me a few words to acknowledge my message. And maybe let me know about plans for this weekend.
It seems like basic decency. Assuming he’s not sick or in a crisis.
Maybe he is. Maybe that’s what happened. Or maybe he saw my message and couldn’t answer right away and then forgot about it. That’s happened before.
