“Impressive,” Indie comments before bending at the waist and scratching her doggy. “Harry would die from the heat alone if we took him out that long, especially with all this hair he’s sporting.”
“Probably,” I agree, looking at his mop of fur.
“So, how’s the boy drama?” Indie probes. She’d overheard the whole conversation between Levi, Asshat Conner, and me from the back of the shop. Ever since then, she’s b
een badgering me like a pesky fly. She insists it’s Sophie’s fault for teaching her about girl talk, but I think she’s just a Nosey Nancy.
I shrug one shoulder then give her the only answer I have, though I know she’ll be bummed that it isn’t juicier. “Nothing new. Levi’s been crazy busy at work, so I haven’t really seen him, and Conner isn’t stupid enough to cross my path again so….”
“It’s a shame. Sounded like Conner has a thing for you.”
“Meh.”
Little does she know, guys don’t have things for me. Or at least not the ones that matter.
“Don’t meh me,” she admonishes with a teasing smile. “He point-blank asked for your number.”
“Well, yeah, but that was before he knew who I was. And I was hesitant to go out with him in the first place, let alone after I found out he was the jerk from my childhood.”
“What do you mean you were hesitant to go out with him in the first place?” she asks.
Shifting on the bench, I scrunch up my face and admit, “I don’t really date much.”
Or at all.
“Why not?”
“Umm…because I don’t?”
Laughing lightly, she jokes, “That’s not an answer.”
“Fiiine.” I sigh. “Guys have never really shown an interest in me, so I’ve never really pursued anything romantic with anyone.”
“Hmmm…,” she hums, pursing her lips.
“Hmmm…?”
“I’m just curious why that would be.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re gorgeous. Your eyes don’t glaze over as soon as someone mentions whatever’s on ESPN, and you have an epic connection to a sweets dealer.”
Laughing, I nudge my shoulder into hers. “I assume you’re the sugar dealer?”
“And proud of it! How else do you think I won Rhett’s heart?”
“From what I heard, it was you that caved, not him.”
“Meh.” She bats her hand at me. “You know what I mean. I’m just saying that maybe your affinity for driving the opposite sex away isn’t because they aren’t interested, but because you aren’t.”
Her assessment hits the nail on the head, though I refuse to admit it out loud. My face falls.
“There are only two options I can think of. Either you’re gay, which I don’t really get that vibe from you, or you’re in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same way.”
“Ding, ding, ding.” I wave my finger in the air like a little flag in surrender. “We have a winner.”
“It’s okay to recognize that you’re not happy. Just don’t waste too much time there, or else you’ll wake up one day, years later, and look back at your life with more regret than you should.”