The Pact(15)

Ah, yes. Now this seems more like the James I know. Moody and easily bruised.

“Of course you can,” I tell him. “I’m just surprised, that’s all. I don’t remember the last time the two of us did something, just you and me.”

“I know. That’s why I thought it would be cool.” He takes the blanket out and lays it on the floor beneath the counter, right between a display rack of jewelry I had spent months foraging for and a tray of impulse buy items, like Band-Aids with mustaches on them and leopard print hair scrunchies that are somehow having a moment again.

He sets out the wine and brings out two glasses and opens the lids to the boxes. He points at the blanket. “You can sit, you know.”

I do so and eye the spread. One box has chocolate-covered strawberries, the other has a bunch of cheese and compote. Bacon-wrapped scallops are in another. All my favorites.

“Wow,” I say. “I’m impressed.”

“It’s the last year of your twenties. You should go out with a bang.”

I give him a quick smile, not used to him being so thoughtful. Obviously James and I have had a very different relationship since we broke up. “Well, thanks.”

“No problem. That’s what friends are for right? Here, let me,” he says and pours me a glass of wine, then places a small fork in my hand and nudges the box of scallops toward me.

“Did you make this?” I ask, staring down at the elegant arrangement.

He shakes his head, looking sheepish instead. “No, I picked it up from Whole Foods.”

I have to say I’m kind of relieved. I’m sure James is a good cook and all, but the idea of him cooking something specifically for me, even as just a friend, doesn’t really seem right in the little mould we’re in.

I have one of the scallops and delight in the balsamic glaze. “It’s tasty.”

He beams. “Good.”

I sip the wine and tell him it’s good too. Is it just me or is it getting a little awkward in here? No matter. There’s nothing wrong with two friends just celebrating a birthday together. That’s all this is, even if it is a bit weird.

And soon it gets easier. Maybe it’s the glasses of wine or just talking to James about business qualms, but it starts to feel like old times. After we finish the scallops and move onto the cheese, the subject switches from music to something a little more personal.

“You weren’t really serious about that pact you’d made with Linden, were you?” he asks in an off-hand way. But when I look at him, his jaw is set in a determined line.

“Serious? No. Not really.” Not more than I would admit to him, anyway.

“Good.”

“Why?”

“Oh, you know. I just didn’t want to see you get hurt, you know, in case you actually put some stock into it.”

“Why would I get hurt?”

He shrugs. “Linden is a player, you know that. He likes you Steph, but as a friend. I wouldn’t want you to start, I don’t know, thinking of him in some other way and ruin what you guys have, just because he likes to flirt and pretend all the time. He was never serious about that pact, you know that. Nadine, though, he’s serious about her. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are married even before thirty hits.”

I feel like all the air has been pulled out of me. I rub my lips together and catch my breath, shocked at how this all makes me feel. “That would be moving pretty fast for Linden. They’ve only been together about a month.”

“Yeah but they were sleeping together for a few months before that.”

My eyes bug out. This is news to me. “They were?”

He nods and eyes me like I’m too stupid to live. “She works reception at the charter company. Of course they’ve been boning. From day one.”

“I had no idea,” I say quietly. My heart is doing slow, sick thumps in my chest.

“Well, maybe you two aren’t as close as you think,” he says and it’s another spear into my heart. He quickly pours me another glass of wine. “Here, drink up. You should be smiling, not giving a shit about Linden.”

“He’s my friend.”

“He’s as much of a friend as I am. Who he dates isn’t really any of your concern, so as long as she’s not a total psycho hose beast. So far, she seems to be fine. I approve.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Don’t you?”

“Of course,” I say but the words come out on auto pilot. I know James didn’t mean any harm because, honestly, what he said shouldn’t have hurt me at all. It’s true. Linden is a friend, that’s all he has been and all he will be. Who he dates shouldn’t be my concern, not in that way.