Part 23 (2/2)
”Obviously, he doesn't want you,” Holly says to my sister. ”He wants Rose. Hence, the date tomorrow night.”
”Ugh.” Terri stomps off.
”Is she a brat or what?”
”She's really not,” I tell Holly. ”I don't know why she's acting that way.”
”Well, don't let her near Ben. But she is right about one thing...s.h.i.+t or get off the pot, because you know Cali's friend, Tabitha?”
”Yeah?”
”She made a move on him too.”
”What?”
”Nothing happened. She suggested, he declined...eventually.”
”Eventually?”
”He was leaving the bar and she invited him to go home with her. He stopped, thought about it, and I kicked him out.”
”So, like, he would've gone with her?”
”I don't know, Rose. Probably not, but if you don't let him know you like him...he is getting other offers.”
”When was this? When Tabitha seduced him?”
”Uh. I don't remember...I drove him home that night. Oh...he said he was going out with you the next...day...uh. Oh.”
”November eighth?”
”It could have been.” Holly shakes her head.
”So he had a date with me the next day and he was considering going out with Tabitha?”
”Having s.e.x. Not going out.”
”Oh. Helpful.”
”Well, they're two different things.”
I toss my hand towel onto the table and walk out the back door.
Holly follows. ”Rose. He's a guy. That particular night, even though you guys had a date, which you canceled, by the way, he wasn't getting a vibe from you. He said he really wasn't sure how much you really liked him. Did you ever even tell him?”
”Well...no.”
”See. He also said he thought maybe you weren't ready to date yet. That you were still struggling with the accident...and maybe he should stay away.”
”He said that?”
”I don't remember exactly, Rose, but something along those lines. If you don't like him, that's one thing. But if you do, let him know you're ready.”
”s.h.i.+t.”
”Or get off the pot.”
”You're a freak.”
”I know. But hey, you said yes to tomorrow night, so that's a start.”
As we're walking across my backyard, I realize I haven't even asked how things with her have been. ”Holly. I'm such a bad friend. How is Mick? I haven't even asked you, and then you had to go and send him home. Is he eating alone today?”
”Of course not. He's with his sister and his niece. He's good. Griffin and Cali are eating at Griffin's dad's restaurant. It's all good.”
”But how are things with you and Mick?”
”They're great. I like having a steady boyfriend.”
”Good. I'm glad.”
”Yeah. You can have that with Ben too, you know.”
”One step at a time, Holl.”
”We're gonna have to do something about your sister, though. She's horrible.”
”She's not. I'll talk with her. Something's up. She wouldn't just steal him out from under me.”
”Ooh...kinky.”
”Freak.”
”Geek.”
”There you are.” Ben is standing on the patio when Holly and I return from our walk. ”Your mother said dessert's on the table.”
”You mind leaving right after?” Holly asks Ben. ”I'd like to go see my boyfriend tonight.”
”No problem. I have practice early in the morning, anyway.”
Holly makes her way inside while Ben holds up his hand and silently asks me to stay put.
”Are you okay with what I said back there at the dinner table? About tomorrow night?”
”The official date. Yeah...I'm okay with that.”
<script>