“I’m not doing carbs,” Eryk answers. “I have to make sure I can fit in my dress next week.”
“You’re not doing carbs. You’re not doing dairy. You’re not doing meat. You’re not doing citrus. What are you eating? Carrot sticks?”
“That and celery.”
Crystal rolls her eyes.
“I’ll eat his,” I say. “I need the extra comfort food.” From the edge of the counter, my phone buzzes.
Eryk cocks an eyebrow. “Mr. Mulroney needing some copies made?”
“Copies made?” I ask, half wishing it is — but knowing it’s not — my boss.
“I saw it in a porno last week.”
“Ugh. So it’s not just me. This does feel like a bad porno.”
“You mean a good one.”
“By the way,” Crystal says, looking at Eryk. “Can you keep those turned down a bit?”
I swipe open my phone and read the text. “It’s Brendan.”
“Of course it is,” Eryk says, trying to grab my phone. “His radar is going off because his turf is being stepped on. What does he want?”
“Nothing.” I snatch it away and give him the evil eye.
Eryk furrows his eyebrows. “He sent you a blank text message? Why can’t you tell me what he said?”
“Because you’re just going to talk shit.”
Eryk scoffs and slides off the stool. “I’m going for a run.”
He goes into his bedroom to change and Crystal pours the pasta into the colander in the sink. “What does Brendan want?” she quietly asks.
“He invited me to come to Venice Beach tomorrow,” I just as quietly answer.
“Are you going to?”
“I don’t really have any reason not to.” I stand up and pull plates and silverware from the cabinet. “What do you think of him?”
“Which one?”
“Brendan. Who else? You don’t know You-Know-Who.”
“I liked him. Why? Are you thinking of getting back with him?”
I study the forks in my hand. “No. I mean, he lives on the other side of the country. And we did the long distance thing. It doesn’t work for me.”
“Plus, you’re into your boss.”
I look up at my friend. “I can handle that.”
“If you mean you can control your feelings around him, Sydney, it’s pretty obvious you can’t.”
My face heats up. “I had one mishap. And he lured me away from the office. He got me alone and tricked me.”
“Hey, I’m not judging you. I think you should do whatever makes you happy. It really is that simple.”
I study her face. “There’s only one problem.”
“What?”
“Figuring out what makes me happy is the hardest part.”
She smirks. “Tell me about it.”
*
Venice Beach is close to an hour drive from my apartment. Even though Brendan visited me a few times in L.A. while we were dating, we never went to his cousin’s place. It’s a town house on an impressively nice street half a block down from the water. I park in front of it and head up the drive.
Brendan answers the door, a smile on his face. “Hey, come on in.”
“Thanks.”
He ushers me past him and into a living room. With two futons for seating and a punching bag hanging in the corner, the main area betrays the fact the house is inhabited solely by men. The giant tower of video games doesn’t help much.
“What are you up to?” I ask, hooking my hands on my hips.
“Just hanging out. You want anything to drink?”
“Sure. I’ll have some water.”
He walks across the living room and through another door, through which a refrigerator and small table are visible. Sounds of ice clinking float from the kitchen.
“Where’s your cousin?” I ask.
Brendan’s voice is muffled. “He works on Saturdays.”
“Oh.”
So it’s just the two of us. Alone. In a house.
Did I mention alone?
Brendan comes back with a glass of water for me. “Do you want to sit on the patio? It’s really nice.”
“Okay.”
I follow him through the kitchen and out onto a veranda overlooking a small yard. There’s a kiddie pool and a coiled up hose on the grass. Underneath the overhanging roof sits a few lawn chairs.
I take a seat and Brendan settles down right next to me. The hairs on my arm stand up. His presence makes me feel good and bad at the same time. Maybe only bad because I’m resisting just how good he makes me feel.
I unhook my sunglasses from the neck of my tank top and slip them on in an effort to put a little bit of space between us. My fingers are buzzing and there’s a slight ache spreading through me.