Page 46 of You Again
He looks down at me. He’s quiet. He’s got that sad expression again.
“I promise. I am not a liar. But that man—that’s my boyfriend—”
Another grunt from Zev. “Your ex.”
“Yeah. The one I told you about. You aren’t over your last girlfriend. So, on some level, you understand this—” I need to tread lightly; there’s a very good chance Zev’s last girlfriend passed away, and I don’t want to be insensitive. “See, I’m not over Robert.” I lick my lips. “I just didn’t want to look like a pathetic woman who still doesn’t have her life together.”
“You aren’t pathetic.”
I grit my teeth in a not-so-pretty smile. “Except that I am. And I’m sorry I got you involved.”
“I don’t care about that.”
I cover my face with my hands. “I know. I said all those things about you.” I shake my head and let my hands fall to the table. I turn in my seat, as much as the picnic table will allow, and take one of Zev’s hands in mine. “I wasn’t trying to dismiss whatever it is you actually do for a living. It’s just that Robert is this super successful engineer, and then he directed his question at me, and well—my best friend’s husband is a soccer player. It just came out. I didn’t know what else to say. I’m sorry.” I squeeze his fingers. As confusing as my life is right now, I know I don’t want to lose my new friend. “Can you forgive me?”
He sighs. “Rosalie.”
“It won’t happen again.” I wiggle in my seat. “I mean, unless we see Robert, and then it might happen again. Just being honest.” I bite down on my bottom lip and sigh. “Zev, you had no idea you were forming a friendship with an insane person, did you?”
He snuffs out a laugh. “You aren’t insane.”
“I’m not exactly stable,” I mutter.
“It’s okay,” Zev says. “Really.” Then he leans down and pecks my cheek once more. My cheeks warm with a blush, and I’m filled with mint once more, but when I peek back, Robert is long gone.
I blow out a long, tired breath. “I can’t believe I saw him again.” My heart beats and I press a hand to my thumping chest. My lips twitch with a repressed grin. “And he wants to get together.”
Zev stops chewing at my words. “Are you kidding?”
“No.” The word is breathless—I can’t believe it either. “That’s what he said.”
Zev’s lip curls and he sniffs out irritably. “What a jerk.”
“Excuse me?” Uncomfortable pricks make their way over my body. “You don’t even know him.”
“I know that he’s married, and he believes you have a boyfriend.”
I blink. I hadn’t thought about that. Just Robert, looking at me again. “How would you know if he’s married or not?”
“Ring,” he says, sounding so much more pissed about Robert wanting to see me than me fabricating his entire life story. How does any of that make sense?
“Okay… So what?” I say, in full defense mode now. “So, he wants to be friends.”
“That’s not what he wants,” Zev growls. “A man and a woman—”
I balk. “We’re friends.” I point to him. “Man.” Then to myself. “Woman. And we’re friends. Why is it different for Robert?”
“A married man does not ask out another woman. And he doesn’t look at her like that man looked at you. At least a decent man doesn’t.” Zev scoffs out a humorless laugh. “That man is a scumbag.”
“Whoa. You are assuming a whole lot, Mr. Hayes.” Gah! Why do I keep calling him that? “You don’t know him. You barely know me. You don’t get to stand here and call a perfect stranger a scumbag.”
“Fine. Well, I’m leaving.” He stands and shoves his hands into his pockets. “I have somewhere to be.”
“Fine,” I say, as if I couldn’t care less. Except that part of me does care. And while Zev doesn’t know me well. He is my sexy reader friend with insane forearms and amazing shoulders who brought me the most delicious soup and read to me when I felt like crud. He’s the one piece of my life that doesn’t have to wonder if I remember the right things or not. I like having that piece. “Will I see you again?” I say, very aware that I sound desperate.
He sighs. “Yes, Rosalie. You’ll see me again. This is an argument. Not the end of our friendship.”
I nod, grateful, but already feeling the emptiness of my deserted table and pizza for one.
