The Suite Adult Life

May (9.1)

"Come on! Just one date!" Zack said over drinks at the same pretentious bar that Cody insisted on going to. The name hadn't changed in the past six months so that meant it was probably going to stay for at least a year. It was also right between the two while still being in the city.

Cody rolled his eyes. He was at a good place being single. His friendship with Bailey was in a good place. They were able to laugh and joke over texts and he wasn't feeling the anxiety that usually came with trying to rectify a relationship. "Fine, tell me about her."

"Okay, she's gorgeous." Cody shrugged. Objectively, Zack found all women gorgeous. But, they all seemed to have qualities that were apparent other than good looks. "She's intelligent and she works in design."

"What kind of design? Computer, fashion, interior?" His hatred for his brother was coming out with all the enticing him into a conversation. Just tell him everything he needed to know.

"Website. She works for a big firm in the city." Zack went on. He saw her in the grocery store and walked up to her, turning on the charm. His goto line was 'How would you like to go out with someone who looks exactly like me?' He would flash his wedding ring saying that he was so sorry that he played for the other team, but his identical twin brother was single and straight. Of course they wanted to know if 'everything' about them was identical. The answer was always 'he dyes his hair black but...' and then a wink.

Cody had seen him run this game multiple times and was always so confused on how it worked every time! He preferred to just walk up to a woman and ask if she wanted another round. What were they going to say? No? To a free drink? Not in his experience. "So you think we'll have something to discuss, okay? But that's all you know about her?"

"No. She went to Barnard and she's been in the city for two years now and she's been single for most of that time. She tried the long distance with her ex but it really didn't work. And!" He lifted a finger, "She's very busy with work. So, you know, no pressure to talk to her all the time."

Cody's eyes fluttered closed as he inhaled deeply. Why was that a plus? He didn't necessarily want to be a workaholic, that's just how it happened. And maybe he wanted someone to be waiting for him at the end of the day with dinner on the table and a cocktail in hand? Where they could throw on an old jazz vinyl and dance in his tiny living room to the city lights and soft lamp illuminating them. "I don't know... I'm kind of in a good place right now. I like being single. I haven't had a random hookup in months and Bailey and I are finally in a place where we're comfortable."

Zack's tailored oxford stretched tightly against his arms as he raised them above his head in a stretch. "What am I going to do with you baby brother?" He asked rhetorically. "Glad you and Bailey are cool now; but, you need to get back out there or..." really Cody just needed to fill in the blank. Cody's long fingers rubbed at his eyes annoyed. "The point is that she's not Bailey." Zack said slowly, hopefully helping the ideas along.

He finally looked at his brother's expectant face. It was one drink. If anything, if she was as gorgeous as Zack was advertising he might be able to get a model out of it. "...Fine."