Page 36 of Whiskey & Honey
The moment he finishes his sentence I hear a sound of an engine and my eyes look over Tony’s shoulder to see Ben leaning against his steering wheel looking at us. Gone is his teacher attire and instead he’s in a well-worn T-shirt and a ball cap. The scruff on his face just right, his eyes saying more than words ever could, and my heart skips a beat. I feel a sense of guilt for how intimate this must look and take a slight step back from Tony as he turns to see Ben.
“Sullivan, do you need something?”
“You okay, Princess?”
Words not forming, I simply nod in response.
“See you at dinner?”
Another nod, which he returns before turning his attention to Tony. The look on his face is enough for Tony to release his hand from my waist. That must satisfy Ben because he drives away.
“Dinner? Are you seeing him, Piper?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. We’re having family dinner at the Sullivans’. Look, thank you for the flowers. That was, well, the thought was nice, but please don’t do things like that. Tony, you’re not a bad guy. Hmm, actually that’s not true. You don’t have to be a bad guy. Just remember that with the next girl. I’ve got to go.”
“So, that’s it? You’re over me that easily. I love you, Piper. That has to mean something.”
I take a deep breath and look up at Tony and see sincerity in his eyes as I sit down behind the wheel and roll down my window. “Tony, you don’t love me. You loved the idea of me. And, honestly, I don’t think I loved you either. At least I wasn’t in love with you. I’d like it if we could still be friends though.”
“But I did, do love you.”
“Tony, what’s my favorite flower?”
“Roses. All chicks love roses.”
“No, Tony they don’t. I, for one, am severely allergic to roses. We were together almost a year and you didn’t know that. We had fun and I don’t regret our time together but we need to just call it a day. There’s someone out there for you but it’s just not me. Now I have to get going.” As he steps away from the door, obviously absorbing what I’ve just said, I roll up my window and drive away, leaving him standing in the parking lot.
As I drive to my apartment I find myself feeling lighter and relieved. Once I make it inside, the first thing to go are my boots. Adorable and serving a purpose, they aren’t the most kindergarten-friendly piece of footwear I own. Changing into a pair of leggings, I make myself a light snack and pull out my planner. I look at the seating chart I made prior to meeting the kids and make a few notes when my phone signals a text message.
Ben: Everything ok?
Me: Yeah, I’m fine.
Ben: Is he with you?
Me: What? No! Why would you even ask that?
Ben: He looked pretty cozy with you in his arms so I assumed you were getting back together.
I can’t help it, that little hint of jealousy brings a smile to my face before reality reminds me, friends only.
Me: Well, FRIEND, we aren’t. I don’t think Tony will be leaving me any more roses or looking to reconcile. I’ll see you at dinner.
He doesn’t respond and I’m not surprised. Perhaps the all caps were a bit shouty. Until I have the option for italics in a text it’s the only way I can think of to remind him of the “friends only” agreement.
Dinner with the Sullivans is never boring. I’ve been coming to family dinner every Thursday as long as I can remember. A few years ago Jameson started joining us. That’s just like Patty and Paul, to take in their kid’s friends who are maybe a little light in the family department.
I’m in the kitchen helping Patty while everyone else is outside. I love spending these quiet moments with Patty. My mom is great and I love her but she’s never been much of a cook. Patty was the one who taught me to cook at a young age and it’s still something that we share.
“How’s your mom, Piper?”
“She’s good. She and Michael get back from their cruise next week. She said she’s going to stay in Chicago with him for about a week before coming home.”
“My goodness, that’s one heck of a vacation. She must miss you terribly.”
“I doubt it, she’s called me non-stop and sent me a post card from every port. She seems happy, though, and that’s all I can ask for. Michael is nice and seems to really care about her. Of course, we’ll see when they get back. I don’t know how you spend that much time together and then go back to long-distance dating.”
Patty offers me a look of sympathy and a pat on the arm as she stirs the green beans that are in a skillet to sauté. “Your mother is a strong woman, Piper. She’ll be fine. How about you? Are you seeing anyone these days?”