‘It’s…’ I sigh. ‘It’s all true, but it’s not all as it seems.’
He swallows hard.
‘You’re in love with me?’
I take a breath, then another, choosing my words carefully because this is the kind of conversation you only get one chance to have properly.
‘I thought I was – briefly,’ I say honestly.
I swear his jaw drops ever so slightly.
‘But I was wrong,’ I continue, gently but firmly.
‘Whit, I don’t understand,’ he replies.
‘I’d been on so many bad dates, and every man I met treated me so badly, and then I thought: hey, Andy is a man, he doesn’t treat you badly, why can’t you find a man like Andy? And then I realised you’re you,’ I explain – or try to at least. ‘But I think what I loved was the safety of you. The fact that you were always there. The love you give me as a friend.’
Andy leans back, staring at the ceiling.
‘Jesus, Whit,’ he blurts. ‘If you’d told me you wanted to be more than friends when we were single, I would have jumped at the chance.’
‘And that would have been a mistake,’ I reply. ‘Because we’re not right for each other, not like that. Our friendship wouldn’t have survived it, but it can survive this. I do love you, you’re my best friend, and I don’t ever want that to change. Plus, without you, all I have is JJ, and look at the fucking mess she’s made today.’
He laughs.
‘When JJ told me. About Cordelia. About you. It all came at once, and I thought maybe I’d been blind. Maybe I’d missed something obvious,’ he explains.
‘JJ has it all so wrong,’ I reply. ‘It’s Cordelia’s place to tell you her stories, but trust me, she isn’t still married, she’s been doing everything she can to make sure of it, and maybe she has history – but who doesn’t? Just hear her out and I promise you, I know you, you’ll understand.’
‘Right, yeah, okay,’ he replies. ‘I think I saw red.’
‘Understandable,’ I say. ‘JJ is a bit like a bull when she’s got her sights set on something.’
‘She said you were only pretending to be with Jake to make me jealous,’ he says – the final piece of the puzzle to address.
‘She’s wrong about that too,’ I reply. ‘I like him. I really like him. But now I’m worried I’ve lost him.’
‘Well, I know you like you know me, and from where I’ve been standing it looks like you’re in love with him,’ he replies. ‘And I’m pretty sure he feels the same way.’
‘What makes you so sure?’ I ask.
‘He’s been here all week, by your side, doing dance lessons and playing board games,’ he points out. ‘That’s got to mean something?’
‘Well, let’s sort your mess out first, then we’ll have a crack at mine,’ I half joke.
‘Cordelia does love me, doesn’t she?’ he replies. ‘Like, she trusts me? I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.’
‘Respectfully, you haven’t known her that long,’ I remind him. ‘No one gets all the heavy stuff out there early on. But she loves you, without a doubt. She’s terrified though. Sacred of repeating past mistakes. Terrified of losing the best thing she’s ever had.’
‘I remember once, she said she didn’t think she deserved this.’
‘Then she needs you to show her that she does,’ I reply.
‘How?’ he asks.
‘We could talk?’ Cordelia says as she walks down the stairs. ‘Who knows, we might even have time to still tie the knot?’
She has an optimistic smile. Andy is smiling too. It’s enough to tell me it’s all going to be okay.