“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Her teasing tone is back, and it seems real this time.
“Yeah, I would. You need some company?” I ask, hopefully.
She actually seems to think about it for a second but then shakes her head. “No, I’m going to get a new friend, can’t have you scaring them away.”
My mind immediately goes to thinking Lily is going on a date. I almost jump into her car with her, but she takes the flowers from me. “These are pretty though, so they can come with me.”
I chuckle. “Can I meet your new friend some other time?”
“Hm, maybe. Depends on if you piss me off. But they’ll be around quite a bit.”
“I never piss you off. Just admit you’ve missed me too, Lil.”
“See ya later.” She smirks.
I want to hug her goodbye. Or touch her in some way. My skin buzzes with the need, and I know it’s only a matter of time before I give in. I know she’ll give in with me. Especially when I see how carefully she puts the flowers in her passenger seat.
This time when I watch her drive away, I don’t feel a pit in my stomach. The feeling I have is something I’ve only been feeling recently with her. Hope.
Hope that she’s going to come back to me.
Hope that she’s here to stay.
As her car drives down the street and out of view, I whisper the three words I can’t say to her yet but would admit every day if she’d let me. “I love you.”
I’m lyingon the couch at the station tossing a stress ball up in the air, then catching it again. All my thoughts are on the two girls in my life and what I can do to get them on my side.
I feel like they both need completely different approaches, but I’ll figure it out. With Franki, I just want to feel like she’s not about to murder me in my sleep every night. And that I can feed her in peace.
Lily…I also need to feel like she’s not going to murder me in my sleep. But I would also like her in my bed again. Not even for sex, I just want to lay with her. Just want to hold her. Just want to be around her.
“Parker!” My name is called, and I shoot up to a sitting position.
“What?”
“Told you he’s not deaf, just ignoring us.” Jo shrugs.
“I called your name like three times,” Jameson tells me.
“Did you call it or did you quietly say it?”
He gives me an unamused look. “You’re on for dinner tonight.”
“Guess you guys are getting spaghetti. Again.”
“No!” Dave yells from somewhere I can’t see.
I smile at my coworkers because either they get to endure another night of my mediocre spaghetti or someone else canvolunteer to cook. However, my plan doesn’t seem to work, and I still end up on dinner duty.
Jameson does end up taking some pity on me, though. He claims it’s because he wants to make sure the meat is fully cooked and doesn’t trust me. As we both are working, I sigh and decide to ask him for some advice.
“How did you finally get Sutton to agree to go out with you?”
He huffs out a small laugh. “Patience.”
I drop my shoulders at his unhelpful non advice.
“You got Lily to love you once, right? You can do it again.”