well between them. He was
always so attentive to her, always sought out her company. As they’d gotten to
know each other, she found that when it came to her, he was a total sweetheart.
That feeling of security she’d known around him had only grown. She felt like
she could tell him just about anything and she just about did.
Her only sin of omission had been to lay off the details of that
night , something she wouldn’t tell anyone. Ever. In the retelling was the
reliving and she just didn’t think she’d ever be ready to go there. But Tyler
could make her forget that pain, make her laugh like no other and put her at
ease. She trusted him, which was no small feat.
Was it her fault that every now and again she’d fantasize
that one day they’d grow even closer? That once he got to know her and saw how
brilliant her personality was that there could be some way in hell he’d
actually be attracted to her?
What a fool she’d been to entertain even the most fleeting
of such fanciful thoughts. She really should have known better.
Later, when she was alone and had time to fully process this
news, she’d let herself truly feel it. Later, she’d nurse the wounds left
behind by that tiny spark of hope she’d had as it died out. For now though,
she’d shrug it off like she always did, pretend it didn’t matter because in the
long run it didn’t. Deep down, she’d known that it couldn’t be any other way.
She forced a laugh and pushed away from the counter. “Well
what did you think he’d say, Chloe? That he was madly in love with me?” She
winked at her friend in a playful manner she didn’t feel. “I told you that a
guy like that would never be interested in me that way. Them’s just the facts.
No sense in entertaining delusions of grandeur.”
Chloe scowled. “To think that any man, even one like Tyler,
could be interested in you is not even close to delusional, Mina. You just
haven’t found the right one yet. He’s out there. And we’re going to find him.” She
muttered the last more to herself than to Mina.
“I don’t like the look of those wheels turning in your head.
Just stop, Chloe. It’s not gonna work. Tyler was a case in point.” One look at
Chloe’s empathetic expression and Mina’s shoulders slumped. “I do appreciate
the effort, Chloe, really. But you can’t force something that’s not there. I
have a lot of shelving to do, so I’ll see you in a bit.”
And with that, she walked away and tried to push all
thoughts of Tyler out of her head for as long as she could hold them off.
It worked for about three hours until Mina went into the
break room and heard her phone beep, alerting her that she had a text message.
It was Tyler.
Can’t make it today. Got stuck @ the bar. U still coming
2 the fight 2nite?
Shit, she’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she’d
forgotten it was Tuesday. And for the first time since their friendship began,
she was actually relieved that he wouldn’t be able to make their standing
coffee break. After clearing up the mental and emotional aftermath of that
little bomb of Chloe’s, she really wasn’t up to seeing him just then.
But no matter how she was feeling inside at the moment,
Tyler hadn’t done anything wrong. She didn’t even want to hint to him that
something was amiss because she knew he’d ask her about it. How humiliating
would it be if she told him that she’d actually thought their friendship might
be leading somewhere?
No, she didn’t want to have that conversation, so it had to
be business as usual. She’d never missed a fight before, so she wouldn’t miss
one now.
Sux to be U. I’ll B thinking of U while I sip my mocha.
And of course I’m coming tonight.
Almost instantly after she’d pressed send, her screen lit up
with another message from him.
Yeah yeah rub it in U lil tease. I’ll pick U up after
work.
Was this how brothers spoke to their sisters, she wondered
with a flush. Somehow she doubted it. It was
always so attentive to her, always sought out her company. As they’d gotten to
know each other, she found that when it came to her, he was a total sweetheart.
That feeling of security she’d known around him had only grown. She felt like
she could tell him just about anything and she just about did.
Her only sin of omission had been to lay off the details of that
night , something she wouldn’t tell anyone. Ever. In the retelling was the
reliving and she just didn’t think she’d ever be ready to go there. But Tyler
could make her forget that pain, make her laugh like no other and put her at
ease. She trusted him, which was no small feat.
Was it her fault that every now and again she’d fantasize
that one day they’d grow even closer? That once he got to know her and saw how
brilliant her personality was that there could be some way in hell he’d
actually be attracted to her?
What a fool she’d been to entertain even the most fleeting
of such fanciful thoughts. She really should have known better.
Later, when she was alone and had time to fully process this
news, she’d let herself truly feel it. Later, she’d nurse the wounds left
behind by that tiny spark of hope she’d had as it died out. For now though,
she’d shrug it off like she always did, pretend it didn’t matter because in the
long run it didn’t. Deep down, she’d known that it couldn’t be any other way.
She forced a laugh and pushed away from the counter. “Well
what did you think he’d say, Chloe? That he was madly in love with me?” She
winked at her friend in a playful manner she didn’t feel. “I told you that a
guy like that would never be interested in me that way. Them’s just the facts.
No sense in entertaining delusions of grandeur.”
Chloe scowled. “To think that any man, even one like Tyler,
could be interested in you is not even close to delusional, Mina. You just
haven’t found the right one yet. He’s out there. And we’re going to find him.” She
muttered the last more to herself than to Mina.
“I don’t like the look of those wheels turning in your head.
Just stop, Chloe. It’s not gonna work. Tyler was a case in point.” One look at
Chloe’s empathetic expression and Mina’s shoulders slumped. “I do appreciate
the effort, Chloe, really. But you can’t force something that’s not there. I
have a lot of shelving to do, so I’ll see you in a bit.”
And with that, she walked away and tried to push all
thoughts of Tyler out of her head for as long as she could hold them off.
It worked for about three hours until Mina went into the
break room and heard her phone beep, alerting her that she had a text message.
It was Tyler.
Can’t make it today. Got stuck @ the bar. U still coming
2 the fight 2nite?
Shit, she’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she’d
forgotten it was Tuesday. And for the first time since their friendship began,
she was actually relieved that he wouldn’t be able to make their standing
coffee break. After clearing up the mental and emotional aftermath of that
little bomb of Chloe’s, she really wasn’t up to seeing him just then.
But no matter how she was feeling inside at the moment,
Tyler hadn’t done anything wrong. She didn’t even want to hint to him that
something was amiss because she knew he’d ask her about it. How humiliating
would it be if she told him that she’d actually thought their friendship might
be leading somewhere?
No, she didn’t want to have that conversation, so it had to
be business as usual. She’d never missed a fight before, so she wouldn’t miss
one now.
Sux to be U. I’ll B thinking of U while I sip my mocha.
And of course I’m coming tonight.
Almost instantly after she’d pressed send, her screen lit up
with another message from him.
Yeah yeah rub it in U lil tease. I’ll pick U up after
work.
Was this how brothers spoke to their sisters, she wondered
with a flush. Somehow she doubted it. It was
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