Just a Click Away

Chapter 26

Tuesday night was girl's night, and Leslie and her friends had decided to take a cooking class at the community college. In between the instructions from the teacher, they caught up with the happenings in each other's lives. Since Leslie had the most going on, she was the main focus of her three friends.

"So, things must be getting pretty serious between you and Greg from the bowling alley." April carefully diced a green pepper. "My husband, Rick, said he saw you two at church together the other week, and you didn't even notice that he was there."

"I guess things are getting pretty serious. We have been seeing a lot of each other recently, and he even took me out for my birthday last night. He is the most thoughtful and kind person I have ever known. He's introduced me to his mother, and...he loves me. I think I might be in love with him. Let me edit that...I know I'm in love with him."

Margaret, April, and Elle excitedly squealed in unison, and Leslie couldn't seem to wipe the happy smile off her face.

"So I guess you have stopped sending messages to Adam online?" Elle added fresh tomatoes to the onions and peppers that were simmering in a saucepan on the stove.

"That's just the problem." Leslie's green eyes misted over with tears. "I had planned on letting him know that I would not be able to send him messages anymore. Since he had never asked to meet me, I figured that all he thought we had was a friendship. I got a message from him a few days ago, and he told me that he loved me. I didn't know what to do!"

"You have to end it with him as soon as possible." Margaret gently rubbed her back. "It isn't fair to him to just stop talking to him when you know that he has feelings for you."

"She's right, Leslie." April wiped her hands on her white apron. "You have to tell him that you met someone else. It's the right thing to do."

"Oh, I know it is; I just don't know what to say to soften the blow. I don't want to hurt him, because he is such a good man. I wish I would never have joined Christian Cupid at all."

"We can't change what has happened." Elle added some lasagna noodles to her boiling water. "All you can do now is the right thing, and that is kindly telling Adam that you don't think he is the one for you. The sooner you get that done, the sooner you can feel completely open with Greg, and Adam can go on to find the right girl for him."

At this point, they had to cease their conversation, and begin to layer the tomato sauce, pasta, meat, and ricotta cheese in their baking dishes. Once this task was complete and the lasagnas were baking in the ovens, the four women stood together at the red and white tile counter.

"I know this is asking a lot," Leslie bit her lower lip. "Would you help me come up with the words to tell Adam that we have no future together. I've been racking my brain, and I can't do it by myself."

"Of course we will help you!" April removed her apron and set it on the counter.

They leaned down with their elbows on the cool counter top and thought about the best way to let Adam down easy.

"I think that you should just be direct," April pointed at Leslie. "Just tell him, 'I love somebody, and it ain't you.' Then there won't be a question whether he will take the hint or not."

"April, that's terrible! I would never say anything close to that! Don't you know me at all?" Leslie's shocked expression made her friends laugh.

"I'm sure April was just kidding, even though this really isn't a laughing matter." Elle shot April a scolding look of her own. "I understand that you don't want to hurt him, and that does you credit, but no matter how you say it, there will be a hurt feelings."