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28
Elizabeth
“Let me get this straight. You’re going over to his house to watch movies?” Julianna eyes me over her cup of coffee.
“Yes.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “It’s not a big deal. He’s never seen Valley Girl or Urban Cowboy. None of my favorites. So, we’re going to have an 80’s movie night with pizza and beer. Totally casual.”
“Uh huh. Nothing wrong with a little casual sex between two friends.” Julianna chuckles as I throw a piece of toast at her.
“It’s not like that.” I shake my head in protest, my face heating.
“But that doesn’t mean you haven’t thought about it.”
I bite my lip and shrug. There’s no point in denying it. Even if I were a good liar, the blush on my cheeks would be a dead giveaway.
“No denial? That’s an improvement.”
“Anyone can see he’s a good looking man, Julianna. That doesn’t mean I want more than his friendship.” Even as the words leave my mouth, I know that isn’t true anymore. My ever-present sex dreams about him are proof. My body reacts to him with an unashamed need. Which is why I’m leery of being alone with him in his home. I fear the lines of our friendship are beginning to blur to the point of no return. Not that they were all that well defined in the first place.
“What?” I ask as Julianna laughs to herself.
“Speaking of great 80’s movies, you do realize the two of you have the whole When Harry Met Sally thing going on, right?” She smirks.
My stomach drops, the lack of oxygen making it hard to formulate a response.
It’s haunted me from the beginning, the idea that men and woman can never truly be friends because the sex part always gets in the way. But I couldn’t seem to walk away and lose Brenden. Even the thought makes my chest tighten.
Yet, I can’t admit to myself that our relationship is something more than friendship. I’m not ready to accept that my feelings for him run much deeper.
Julianna clears her throat. “Anyway…I found a place to live,” she says, clearly changing the subject to let me off the hook, for which I’m very grateful. “I’ll be going back to pack up my things soon.”
I swear, the woman is a force to be reckoned with. Her life fell apart, and she’s excelling better than people who’ve had years to get their shit together. Take me, for example. I’m still trying to pick up the pieces after losing my husband three years ago.
Julianna is a pillar of strength. She can take a hit and keep on moving. I’ll admit though, I do worry about her. It’s possible she’s merely hiding her broken pieces.
“Are you sure? You don’t have to rush,” I tell her.
“I know, but I just—I need to get my life back on track. I feel like I’m starting over as it is. There needs to be some semblance of normalcy back in my life.”
“Well, I’m coming with you when you go back to pack up your things.”
“Really?” she asks, perking up. “Thank god. I don’t want to go by myself but didn’t want to ask. Taking Lori isn’t an option. She might try to set fire to everything Christopher owns.”
I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, probably not a good idea to take her.”
Brenden
There’s a smile on my face as I open the door, my heart beating like it wants out of my chest.
Lizzy paced on the porch for a while, as if contemplating whether or not she should come inside. I had no intention of letting her walk away but wanted her to choose to stay on her own. It’s good to know she wants to be here, even if she’s a little afraid.
“Hey there. Are you ready to educate me on awesome 80’s cinematic classics?”
She returns my smile with a nervous one, her features tight and shoulders rigid as she steps inside without responding to my question.
“Here, let me get your coat.” I pull her coat from her shoulders, my fingers grazing her exposed neck. She shivers in response, sending a shockwave through me as well. “All right.” I hang up her coat, clearing my throat. “You grab the pizza and I’ll get the beer, then we can head upstairs.”
“Upstairs?” she squeaks, staying planted by the door.
