Warner Park

Chapter Twelve

Andrew

Vince had been getting along with his new movie role just fine despite his nerves, and we’d managed to practice on some afternoons. Three days a week.

I hadn’t hugged him again, of course... I had actually gone back to not flirting with him at all, not even a little. He hadn’t crossed any lines either.

The heart melting eye contact was gone. The slight touches of our hands once in a while, or arms while we ran, was gone.

It kind of felt like my hug that day squashed anything that may or may not have been brewing between us… It reverted us back to a few months ago, as if the escalated flirting had never happened.

So that’s what it was – friends without benefits. Absolutely no benefits to speak of. It was for the best.

His first week filming was a success. I thought he seemed more cheerful than normal this past week, but he had still insisted he needed my ongoing help so it had become part of my routine after all.

Things were ‘normal,’ aside from Gary calling me every afternoon at lunch to check on me – like I was on suicide watch, or something. I tried explaining to him that I was okay, that the day I called him to cry was my breaking point, that he didn’t have to do anything for me. He still called every day, anyway. I guessed this is what having a good friend was like.

I found myself less confident about my plan to arrange Vince a surprise date with Sam. She was working in New York over the last few weeks, and I only had one more week until she was back in town again. She was expecting to hear from me, and I was going to do it. I was going to finally set this up for him, and I was going to do it this weekend. No more delays, no more excuses.

• • • • • 

I was on the phone with Gary, which so far had consisted of him chastising me for an hour about making him talk to Sam. It had been a few weeks since I asked him to do me this favor, and he made good on his promise to me, but he was absolutely not happy about being used as a pawn in my plan. Despite his objections, ‘Operation: Fix What I Broke’ was well underway – Sam agreed to meet up with me, and I was mentally preparing myself to meet with her.

"Since you’re insisting on doing this, you’re going to get back to dating again right?”

"I think I like being single right now, Ted was a lot.”

"Hun, you’re full of absolutely terrible ideas.”

I scowled, “My therapist told me I jump from relationship to relationship and that it wasn’t healthy –”

"Well, isn’t it a special exception that someone you finally admitted to me you're in love with is about to go back to his old girlfriend?

"Gary, I love you and I don’t want to fight over this again. It’s not ever going to get us anywhere.”

"I love you, too, Andrew. You’re the sweetest little angel. I can’t believe you're dropping the L word so much these days –”

"Hush.”

“Well, you’re stubborn, and mean. I don’t think your therapist’s advice plays well here. I think you’re going to get super mopey once Vince is back with Sam, and I think you could use a distraction,” he paused and I could tell there was more, so I let him think before I objected again. “And honestly,” there it was, “you need to pick someone who treats you nicely. I don’t care how hot they are.”

“I don’t treat you nicely.”

“...Don’t you dare say that again.”

"You call me mean all the time.”