Chapter 3 #3
“Yes.” I nodded simply. “Even the bad things are things I love. Do I sound pathetic?”
“You do know he cuts his toenails in the living room and leaves the clippings on the table?” Mila asked me softly. “And I’m sure he rarely does laundry.”
“Mila!” I laughed and shook my head.
“I’m not lying.” She laughed. “I’ve seen him in the same outfit five days in one week, and I know it’s the same clothes and not just duplicates because I’ve seen the same stains on the clothes day in and day out and sometimes he smells.
” She made a face. “Granted, he doesn’t do that every week.
If he did, there would be a major intervention, but I’m not sure he showers every day, either. ”
“Mila, are you trying to turn me off of him?” I looked at her and laughed. “These are not the best qualities that you’re bringing up.”
“I just wanna make sure this isn’t about the fantasy of Parker.”
“Trust me, I know how gross he is.” I laughed. “You and I have been best friends for years, remember? I’ve known him for ages. I remember when he really didn’t shower for weeks. Remember that time in high school?” I made a face. “Your mom and dad threw that bucket of water over him?”
“And Nonno held the hose up to him.” She nodded, her face nostalgic. “That was hilarious. Nonno said if he was going to act like a dog, he would get washed like a dog.”
“Yeah, that was funny.” I nodded. “Nonno was hilarious.”
“Yeah. I miss him,” Mila said with a soft smile and my heart ached for her, as her Nonno had passed away recently.
It had been a shock to everyone in the family, but especially to Mila.
Mila and her Nonno had had such a close relationship and she’d been devastated when he died.
But he’d left her the greatest gift he could have.
He left her with a relationship that she’d wanted forever.
It had been Nonno who had really been instrumental in getting her together with Ryker.
I wished I had a Nonno who could do something like that for me, but I guess I’d just have to rely on Mila’s help.
“Anyway, let’s think how to get this started,” Mila said softly.
“How to get what started?” I asked, confused at the sudden change of subject.
“How to get you and Parker as best friends.” She grinned.
“Oh, that. So we’re doing it?” I chewed on my lower lip nervously. “Do you really think this is a good idea?”
“Yeah, it’s a great idea.” She nodded. “Okay, maybe not great, but I think it’s pretty solid. Right?” She looked at me uncertainly.
“Girl, I have no idea.” I laughed. “I obviously have no ideas, or I wouldn’t be sitting here entertaining yours.”
“Okay, so we go with Plan A, then.” She grinned.
“Is it really Plan A if there is no Plan B?” I laughed.
“Shh. Stop being a pessimist.”
“I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist. And honestly, I don’t know how this is going to work.
But I’m a sucker and a loser and if it means I get to spend more time with Parker, then I’ll do it.
I guess it’s a nice consolation prize. We can be best friends, even if we’re not going to be living together happily ever after. ”
“And hey, maybe best friends is better, right? Best friends are for life, whereas relationships can end. I mean, this could mean that you guys can be together forever.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, be together in each other’s lives forever. Always enjoying a close relationship. Maybe you’ll be his closest confidante.”
“Um, yeah.” I made a face. “I guess that’s true.”
“He’ll call you before he calls anyone else. You’ll grab dinners on Fridays. Talk on the phone every Sunday. Your families will spend vacations together. You’ll be old and gray together, talking about how great your friendship is.”
“Yeah.” I frowned slightly and gave her a look, my stomach sinking at her words.
“Um, you do know that I don’t just want to be his best friend, right?
I mean, yeah, that would be cool, but frankly I think it would kill me to be spending Friday dinners with him, knowing his wife was at home with his kids.
That is not the consolation prize I want.
I’d rather kill myself than have that life. ”
“I know that’s not the goal, but if that’s what happens, are you okay with that?” Mila looked over at the bar and stared at Parker for a few seconds and then back at me, her expression thoughtful.
“Mila, the friendship would be over so fast if that were to happen. There is no way in hell that I can see us as best friends and me being cool with his wife and kids and not feeling jealous as hell.” I groaned and put my face in my hands.
“Honestly, it would kill me. It makes me want to cry right now, just thinking of him with someone else.”
“Well, you’d be married with your own kids as well.”
“I—yeah, um, if that’s the way you think this is going to go down, then maybe this isn’t such a good idea. That’s not the end goal I’m looking for.” I grabbed my glass and took another large sip of wine.
“I mean, yeah, that’s not the ultimate goal.” She looked guilty. “I’m not even sure why I brought that up. That’s not an option. The goal is for you and Parker to get married.”
“Or to date, at least. I at least want a chance for him to really get to know me and see if he wants to be with me. I want him to fall in love with me.”
“Our main goal should be the end goal, though, right?” Mila looked at me hesitantly.
“I mean, the end goal isn’t to go on a few dates, is it?
I mean, what’s a few dates? If what you say is true and he’s the love of your life .
. . if he’s the one you want to spend the rest of your life with .
. . if he’s the one you think about, the one you love, the one in your heart .
. . then he’s the one you want to spend eternity with. He’s the one you want to marry.”
“I just feel like a psycho saying that out loud.” I made a face at her. “We haven’t even kissed and I want to marry him? How does that not sound crazy?”
“Hey, we all need to be a little crazy.” She grinned. “And if that’s what you want, you need to call it into being.”
“Call it into being? Oh my God, Mila, what are you talking about?”
“You need to create a vision board.”
“A vision board?” I blinked at her. “What’s that?”
“It’s a board of what you envision in your life. What you want to accomplish. What you see in your future.”
“Um, okay?”
“So we need to get your favorite photo of Parker and put it front and center.”
“What?” I screeched. “I’m not putting a photo of Parker on a board. That really is psycho.”
“Lara, listen to me.”
“Ugh, I’m afraid to keep listening.” I laughed. “This is getting crazier by the second.” I put the glass back down on the table and put my face in my hands and groaned. “And the crazier you get, the crazier I’m going to get.”
“What’s going on, girls?” Ryker drawled as he approached the table with Parker close behind him. Ryker held a pitcher of beer in his hands and Parker held two mugs.
“Not much,” I squeaked out as my eyes flew open and my face grew red. I tried to think about how loud my voice had been, but I was pretty sure that Ryker and Parker hadn’t overheard our conversation.
“What do you guys want to do next?” Parker asked, chugging down his beer. “I know this cool place on 8th Street—they have a mechanical bull.”
“A mechanical bull?” Mila peered at him as she spoke. “Are we expected to get on the bull?”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “But we can always go and watch.”
“Parker.” Mila sighed and rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t sound like fun.”
“It’s plenty fun.” He laughed and licked his lips. “What I wouldn’t do to be that bull.”
“Parker.” Mila shook her head and looked at me with a rueful smile. “Guys!”
“Yeah.” I tried to laugh nonchalantly, like I thought it was funny that Parker wanted to go and ogle some random girls. “You’re a pig, Parker.” I looked at him and he laughed, his eyes wide and happy as he stared at me.
“What can I say?” He grinned and winked at me.
My insides fluttered at his smile and I wanted to smack myself.
Why did he have such an effect on me? Just one smile and my insides were turned to jelly.
How I wanted to turn off the switch inside of me that responded to his every glance and smile.
Where was the off switch when I needed it?
“You can say what you want, but that won’t change what we already think and know,” I shot back at him and winked.
“You think you know, but you don’t really know,” Parker said with a twist of his lips, his blue eyes bright with mirth as he chugged down his beer.
“Oh, I know.” I laughed, surprised at how carefree I felt. “Trust me, I know.”
“We all know,” Mila added and punched her brother in the shoulder.
“What are they even talking about?” Parker asked Ryker, who just shook his head.
“I have no clue.” He sipped on his beer and laughed. “But then, I never really have a clue.”
“So we’re going to go to ride some bulls?
” Parker asked eagerly, and we all just looked at each other and burst out laughing.
I looked over at Mila, who was studying my face, and I gave her a small nod.
I was down to try her plan. I loved Parker.
I wanted to get to know Parker better. And if this was the way to get into his life on a deeper level, I was going to take my chance.
I was going to go big, and if it didn’t work out, I’d just go home.