So Much More

Impromptu Distractions

"So you're basically telling me you got together with Jamie less than a month ago and you've barely been separated ever since?"

They were in her hotel suite, unwinding over room service and a bottle of wine. "More or less. Although we've been to LA separately since we've got together."

Emily rolled her eyes. "And you didn't think to tell me about this when we had dinner back in LA a few days ago?"

Dakota sent her best friend a sheepish smile over the stem of her wine glass. She had thought about it before; telling her best friend and maybe her sisters about what was going on with Jamie. She had always told them about her previous relationship no matter how casual but somehow she knew they wouldn't be too understanding about this arrangement.

"Please don't be mad. It's not that I don't want to tell you, I do. But everything's so new and fresh, I didn't want to jinx it. And I wanted to see how things would pan out first before I spread around the news."

"You don't think you could figure things out after you told me? I'm your best friend, Daks, I would have gladly help you anyway I can. Even if that means listening to your rants," Emily said, a hint of disappointment lacing her voice.

She instantly felt bad. She should had known this would hurt her best friend as they told each other everything. But it was done and she could do nothing to change the past; the only thing she could do now was apologize for the past. "I'm sorry, Em. I didn't think of it that way."

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize."

There was a long pause as they ate in silence, both occupied by thoughts that were running on their heads. But the silence felt more uncomfortable by the second and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep that night if things were undecided between her and Emily; they were that close that if they weren't doing okay, Dakota couldn't sleep all night. And since she had fucked up this time, she knew it was her mistake to fix. There was nothing more significant to Emily than to be able to help the people closest to her with the shit they were dealing with. So she was going to let Emily do just that.

"Well what do you think?"

Emily looked up from her barely-eaten place with a questioning look. "About what?"

"About Jamie and I, what do you think?"

"Now you want my opinion?"

She held back her smile as she saw Emily was purposely being spiteful because she was hurt. But she loved her best friend too much to be offended by the tone of voice she used when she felt hurt. "Of course I want your opinion. I always trust your opinion."

"Good to know," Emily said, a ghost of a smile dancing across her lips.

She turned her attention to Emily fully. "Well?"

Emily scrunched up her face, thinking hard and trying to articulate the words so she could get her point across. "Honestly, I don't think this is going to work, Daks. I mean, what were you thinking? Aren't the both of you a little to old for friends with benefit?"

"That hurts when you brought up age but continue on."

Emily shook her head. "That's not what I mean and you know it. If you were in your mid-twenties, trying to figure things out that's alright. I thought you wanted kids on your own and the whole intimate wedding, no offense but you're starting to run out of time."

"So?" she asked, between bites of her salmon. "I'm still looking around. This is for the time being, while I wait."

Emily shook her head once again, looking frustrated. "Are you that naïve? This is human emotions we're talking about. You've seen how messed up being in a sex-only relationship ended up being what with Jesse's past relationship and the friend I told you about. Even if you could keep your feelings in check, don't you want to preserve your friendship with Jamie? Who knows how your friendship will be once the both of you stop fucking each other."