The Next Best Thing: Part II

Thirty-Seven

"Am I really that good at disguising myself?" Min asked me over breakfast, reading the papers.

Her's and Lyle's escapade had made a few headlines as predicted and social media was going crazy; the number of different theories surrounding why he'd have taken a girl to the hospital were honestly a little far fetched and quite funny.

"You could have been a hobo for all they know. We all know our boy Lyle has a freaky side," I joked. Min scowled at me, hurling a throw pillow to my side of the couch.

"I'm joking, babe. I know he's your baby daddy and all that jazz. Can I call him that, your baby daddy?"

"You're demeaning his importance in my life, Zoe. Don't be doing that now," she retorted, shaking a manicured finger at me. "Besides, that's something Rae would say." We both laughed at that very true and accurate statement.

"I love how you're so happy around him," I revealed to her. "I wish he knew how much you actually care for him and how much you've sacrificed for him. It's not fair, you missing out on a relationship meant to be because you chose to be alone."

She simply smiled, and with a shrug said, "Zo, I have you, and Ty, and Lily and Rae. I'm not alone. Now I have this little one to fill my time and all the Trent's cupcakes I can devour without actually getting sick of them because my cravings are on a new high. I'm fine, trust me."

"Min, you say that but I just can't help feel miserable for you," I interjected. "It can't be easy watching someone move on with their life without you." I wasn't convinced by her answer, although I could only be her friend and support her decisions.

"It isn't but he's a part of my life. He's probably not going anywhere anytime soon. That's better than not having him there at all, Zoe."

"If you say so, Min" I trailed. If you say so.

She set her paper aside and edged nearer towards me, placing my delicious coffee on the antique ashwood table and seizing my hands. Oh no.

"So I was thinking, Thanksgiving dinner," she began.

"No!" I cut her off before she could continue. I knew where this was going and I wasn't going to put myself through that.

"Zoe! It's our first Thanksgiving. Besides you don't have to necessarily cook everything," she continued, ignoring me. "The guests will bring dessert."

"Guests, as in plural? Min, no. Carla used to do this for us. Why can't we just call her up? Or order Mr. Chow's takeout and watch football?" It was my turn to scowl now.

"Because number one, Carla has her own family to feed, not us grown whiny ass brats and number two, which New Yorker watches football?" She made a good point, I surmised.

"It'll just be a few of us, dear. You, me, Lil and Lyle. You can invite Eoin and I guess Lily can invite Aidan. Although, I'm praying he doesn't show up because he is struck by lightning and has to be put on bed rest for weeks," she snorted. So she knew about Lily and him. He was all on his own now.

"We'll all help, and by we I mean all of them. I'm pregnant. I shouldn't be on my feet for too long. It's not good for the baby."

Before I could object again, she sloppily kissed my cheek and ran upstairs to take a shower. "You're amazing, Zo. I love you so very much. We're so going to have such a good time!"

...

"What exactly are you going to make, Zoe?" Eoin asked curiously, pushing my trolley stacked high with groceries like a perfect gentleman. "Are you planning on feeding the football players too?"

"Which New Yorker watches football?" I repeated to him.

"Not you two, surprisingly not," he retorted with a smirk. "But seriously, this is quite a lot." Enough extra to feed all the soup kitchens packed with starving people appreciative of a hot meal during this holiday period. It would have been the least we could have done with all the surplus food.

"Maybe I'm stuffing you all up so I can roast you and eat you for the rest of the holidays. You're all gorgeous individuals," I winked at him, stopping in front of liquor section.

"I want to feast on you too, but in a totally different way," he grinned, placing his arms around my waist. He buried his lips into my neck and kissed me with intense passion, sending chills down my spine. "Sauvignon Blanc will be perfect for the turkey," he whispered into my ear. Everything sounded better in his accent, especially his French. He could call me a putain and I would still swoon, it was that beautiful.

"Turning me on in a busy supermarket. Really, Eoin? People are stopping to take pictures. We're causing quite the scene," I responded, stroking his neck and running my fingers through his hair.

"I don't mind." I didn't either. He kissed my forehead and picking me up, he put me on his back, pushing our full cart to the till.

We paid for everything and he carried all the paper bags with the help of an adorable bag boy. "Would you like to have Thanksgiving dinner with us?" Eoin asked him. "My lovely girlfriend here clearly has no impulse control and loves to cook."

"Thank you for the kind offer, you two seem nice, but I'm afraid I can't. Eat and be merry, please. Happy Thanksgiving," he declined with a cute, polite smile.

I found myself staring after him, thinking how he would make some young girl's fairytale prince on a majestic white mustang.

"Do you think he liked me?" I asked Eoin, buckling my seatbelt.

"It was difficult to tell, with me carefully unloading your doomsday prep supplies into Min's precious backseat. All we need now is an underground bunker in those abandoned rail lines found all over New York," he teased with a mock seriousness.

"He liked me," I surmised, ignoring Eoin.

I drove us out of the organic store's crowded parking lot, pulling onto the highway back into the city. A few grey clouds had overcast, dismally hanging over the city, bringing in a light drizzle which preceded another downpour.

"Zoe?"

"Eoin?"

"I'd love to have you over for dinner tonight. Just us two," he muttered.

"Is that an invitation?" I smiled.

"I meant it more as you're coming over for dinner tonight."

I smiled again, rubbing his left thigh with my free hand. He held onto it, pecking it affectionately and travelling his lips up my arm.

"Is that a yes, Zoe?" Eoin asked in his most romantic voice this time, peering into my side and using my weakness to his stares against him.

"I wasn't going to say no."