Leaving Amy (Amy #2) (18 page)

I caught my breath. “What are you talking about?”

“I handle divorces among other things, Amy. You don’t think a guy cheats once, do you?”

Well, yes. Until now.

“You’re not really that naive?”

Now that was just plain mean. “Of course not. But I think Wesley learned his lesson.”

“Wesley shouldn’t have you back because he learned a lesson. He should be with you because he couldn’t live without you and realized his mistake. He should’ve been the one to leave that woman, not the other way around. You shouldn’t be a consolation prize.”

I tucked my chin and folded my hands on my lap. I’d never dissected it like that.

“Listen, Amy. I don’t mean to be so cold. I just want you to follow your heart for once.”

“I did. His name was Mark Reilly. See where that took me, don’t you?”

“I’m not Mark.”

“You’re right. You’re Tom. You’re my best friend. The best one I’ve ever had. And I want to make a pact with you that you’ll stay that way. Let’s forget tonight. Let’s not go down this road. Please.”

His head fell back on the sofa and he stared at the ceiling. The tree in the corner was still twinkling all its magical lights. It would’ve been a perfect picture, minus that gut-wrenching conversation.

“If that’s what you want.”

I smiled. It was anything but sincere. It just meant this conversation was over.

“But I won’t promise to stand by and watch you destroy your life. With or without me, I only want your happiness.”

What a freaking good guy this man was. I didn’t deserve him. But I was so happy to have him, and I wasn’t going to ruin it with pecks after pretzels.

“Want to watch a movie with me?”
All aboard for the friend train?

“Sure.”

I turned on the television and found
Christmas in Connecticut
. It was one of my favorites. It was no surprise Tom had seen it. We shared a blanket and fell asleep on the sofa. It kind of didn’t go that well with our new pact of not crossing bridges of friendship over to whatever. And what confirmed it must’ve been that sinking feeling I had when I half-woke up and realized I was smiling from finding myself tucked underneath his arm.

“So what was it like during Christmas when you were a little girl?” Tom finished wrapping the banister as I hung the mistletoe on the foyer light. “Did your mom and dad let you believe in Santa or did you know it was them who got you the gifts?”

“I found out when I got into middle school. Mom was tired of hiding the presents and left one out on purpose for me to find.”

Tom walked over and held the ladder for me.

“Be careful, Amy.”

“I am. You can’t have a Christmas party without mistletoe. Everyone is looking for that excuse to get or give a kiss to someone.”

I held onto his shoulder as I stepped off. He looked down to the ground.

“Which makes me think of Kate, your mysterious date.”
Not really.
It made me think about last night, but I needed to stop doing that. “She is coming to the party, isn’t she?”

“I haven’t invited her. I suppose I will.”

“Well, yes! Of course. I can’t wait to meet her.” I would smile like she was the best thing since salted chocolate. Sonja had a bowl of the stuff on her desk and I swore if I didn’t wear a Fitbit like it was fine jewelry, I would’ve eaten the entire contents of it.

“You really want to meet her?”

“Yes. We can even go on a double date or something.”

Tom folded the ladder. “I’m a good sport, but I’m afraid I’m not that good of a sport.”

I pinched my lip the way a parent does with an insolent child. “Tom, I hope we get to that point…I hope this Kate is someone who knows how special you are.”

He carried the ladder away and I cleaned up our mess. The house was beautiful. We’d spent the last seven hours decorating. Tom had found some things in the attic from his parents’ home—things he’d forgotten—and it was great to see the happy memories it brought to his face.

I went to the kitchen with the large trash bag, pushing all the used boxes down and tying it shut. Tom was cleaning up lunch. We had Chinese delivered. He ordered four meals, and we rested a pair of chopsticks in each, sampling and devouring the ones we loved. He’d already memorized my favorite combinations and made sure the kung pao had no peanuts. What a guy.

“Well, I guess I should go and get ready for…”
No, I didn
’
t want to say his name.
It would provoke an ugly face on Tom and anxiety in my chest. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go and see him; I just didn’t want Wesley to badger me about coming home.

I heard Tom’s cell phone buzz on the counter. I looked at him.

“What?”

“You just got a message.”

“And?”

“And check it, Tom. It could be Kate. She might want to go out tonight.”

That would relieve me greatly. Knowing Tom was home alone would distract me from Wesley. Funny how it had little effect on my and Tom’s day. After all, Wesley was at home alone right now, more than likely. Without a microwave and without furniture. I wanted this fact to be taking a toll on me. It should be taking a toll on me.

“You better go and get ready.”

I tossed the bag next to the back door and gave a small smile before I went upstairs.

“Well, this is it. I’m going,” I yelled out, waiting to find out where Tom was.

He came from the kitchen into the living room. His glasses were mid-way on his nose and he held his coffee and that morning’s crossword puzzle from the newspaper.

“I hope the food’s good.”

Really? That
’
s what
’
s on your mind? The quality of food at the restaurant?

“Okay, well, I can bring you back something if it is.”

He looked at me. His face was unreadable, but the fact he was speechless told me I passed the look test. I wondered whether to wear the black skirt or the gray pants. I figured I’d bought the skirt for Wesley while he was in a coma. Might as well show it to him now.

“You look beautiful.” It squeaked out and he covered his mouth in order to clear his throat.

“Thank you.”
Aww, how nice of him to say.
I know it’s something he must’ve told me before, with all the events we go out together to, but this time it permeated through me, until my face broke into a smile. The mysterious tension I was feeling began to melt. I looked down at my feet, fidgeting with my hands.

“Let me walk you to the door.” He set down his cup and puzzle and walked toward me.

“Okay.” Awkward, but all right. I kept forgetting what it was like to be in the presence of a true gentleman. You know, the kind who opens doors and rises when you leave the table to go to the bathroom.

I picked up my purse and coat on the way to the door. Tom helped me put my arms inside it. I ended up almost stepping on his toes as I fumbled for the inside of the sleeves. I looked up at him. My heels almost made us eye to eye.

“Well, I’ll see you later.” I felt my heart race circles around my ribcage.

“Be careful.”

I accidentally looked at his lips when he said it. Magnetic forces were drawing me close. I fought the notion.

Tom is such a good friend. Tom is such a good friend. Tom is such a good friend
. I said it over and over until I cleared the threshold and got into my car.
Now let
’
s go and see my husband. This was the beginning of our next chapter together.
I hoped I could stay focused on it.

“Wow.”

“You’ve said that three times, Wesley.” I held my menu, looking at all the options. Nothing sounded good. Nothing sounded like it would fill the void. Was it my stomach…?

“It’s just that… Wow!”

“Wesley.” I looked at him with penetrating eyes. “Think about what you want for dinner. The waiter is coming back in a couple of minutes.”

“It’s just that when I saw you walk in, I didn’t recognize you. Since when did you start wearing heels…and skirts?”

“I went shopping when you were in the hospital.”

Not a good idea to go there in my mind. It only led me to images of Mark and his mother. Then of Mark. Then of him telling me he didn’t want to get married. And how it crushed me that I mis-figured everything. How I classically mis-figured everything in my life.

“Amy?”

He must’ve said something while I was shanking myself in the back alley of false hopes in my life. “What?”

“Is this the time you told me that you bought lingerie, too?”

“Actually, that shopping trip took place the day of your accident. I was wearing it when they called and said you were brought in.” I’d already told him that. What did that bump on the head do to his memory recall?

“Do you still have it?”

I could see the horns creep up on his head as he asked the question.
Who needed to order the steak?
It seemed I had become the piece of meat at the table tonight.

“I don’t know where it is.” Actually, I did know; it was in a trash bag buried in the local landfill.

Thankfully the waiter came and interrupted Wesley’s newfound topic of interest.
I should
’
ve worn the gray pants.

I listened as the server asked Wesley about his meal choice. I’d already ordered the chicken. It was amazing how I knew the answers to all of his questions and could’ve answered them verbatim.

“How would you like the steak prepared?”

Slightly mooing.

“Slightly mooing.” He looked at the waiter, smiling.

“Rice, the broccoli soufflé, or baked potato?”

I
’
m a meat and potato kind of guy, so potato.

“I’m a meat and potato kind of guy. Potato would be great. Lots of butter, too.”

The endearing little man with kind eyes turned toward me, took my menu, and scurried away.

“So what’s the chances of you coming home with me tonight? The way you look tonight is making me regret not making a move on you at the cabin.”

Funny, Wesley wore a shirt I’d never seen before, smelled different, but still had a mind similar to that of a gutter.

“Wesley, you’re supposed to be wooing me. I want to date you. Like we’re strangers. Not like you picked me up on the corner outside of the restaurant.”

God, I needed him to be someone different than the person before the accident. I was pretty certain I felt butterflies a few times at the cabin. Come to think of it, I might’ve mistaken them for indigestion.

“Woo you? Did you just actually say woo you?” He leaned over the table, his bread and knife in each hand respectively.

“Yes, woo. I want a new start with you. I think it would help us.”

He laid down the knife and took a bite of his bread.

No thanks, I didn
’
t want a piece
.

“You’re right.”

“I mean, you didn’t like us before, right? Isn’t that why you left?”

He paused eating to check his phone. I tried not to let it disturb me. Tom’s comment about cheating flashed in my head like a motel neon sign. A cheap motel where Wesley was probably picking up someone later to not cheat on me.

“I was stupid, Amy. Yes, there were things I didn’t like.” He shoved his phone back inside his pocket and resumed the bread eating. “But it looks like you’ve changed some of that already.”

Say what?

“
I
’
ve
changed what you didn’t like?
I
was the problem?”

He wiped his mouth before he continued. “That didn’t come out right. What I meant to say was there were things about our relationship I didn’t like, and it seems like you’re different now. The two really have little to do with each other.”

My leg jumped under the table, moving the tablecloth. “So you don’t think you needed to change?”

“Change what?”

The waiter came and set down our dinner plates. I didn’t even make eye contact with him. I waited until he left before resuming this much-needed conversation.