Best Friends Can't Dictate How You Talk, What You Say Or Who Cares
Day 209 of The Andie Chronicles
The breakfast table was eerily quiet. It was also my dining room table, which was empty and vacant and nothing like the old one that lived here.
I loved this beautiful new piece and was proud of my furniture choices. I knew it didn’t have the heart and soul of my old workspace.
Alas, I had to move on. One day, I could transform this dining room table into a new desk. I would make new memories and new successes, I convinced myself.
James was pottering around in the kitchen. He was making breakfast for me and Cooper. I heard him pushing the toaster around, slamming down pots and pans, breaking eggs, and swearing at them periodically.
I looked across at Cooper, who was reading something on his phone, unphased by James’s performance. I wished my best friend had behaved better at that moment.
Wishful thinking.
James insisted on making our food, to my shock and awe. When he discovered Cooper and I had stayed the night before, he asked explicitly if we would be there for breakfast.
I intended to show Cooper more of the little hotspots I loved around the area and perhaps take him to Candy’s for brunch. I hadn’t been there in so long, unsure if our standing reservation remained intact. Yet James was home, and I thought his unusual gesture was some attempt to bring our little unit together.
The food made it to the table. It was delicious, I had to admit. But the three of us ate in silence.
I tried to make conversation between the boys, but there wasn’t much to be said. Cooper finally broke our spell, but it didn’t take long for me to wish for the return of the silence.
“So, James, how’s everything going with your legal case?”
With an empathetic thundering sound, James slammed his knife and fork down to the plate, causing me to startle. The impact caused the remains of his plate, egg and toast, to fly into the air. “How did you know about my legal case?”
“How do you think he knows about the legal case? I told him.” James stared at me, his eyes penetrating through me.
“Don’t talk about me. Don’t tell strangers about my problems.”
I was stunned by his assessment.
“Hold on a second,” I interrupted, “Cooper isn’t a stranger. He is my partner. And I was worried about my best friend. You know I worry about you.”
I knew James constantly worried about me. His worry caused our friendship to disintegrate and our business to land in the hands of Douglas Gallo. This concern hadn’t panned out so well.
Besides, Barbie wanted me to keep an eye on James.
And it was naive of James to think Cooper didn’t need to know what was going through my brain. Highway. Douglas. James’ ongoing situation. Taylor and GG. It was all there. And sometimes, I just needed to let it out.
I finally had someone I could let it out to.
James snorted, rebuffing me. “I didn’t give you permission to tell this guy all my crap, Andie.”
“This guy?”
“Yes, this sweet, kind, caring, empathetic guy.”
“How do you even know that you can trust him? ”
“Trust? Really? You’re lecturing me on trust?” The most untrustworthy man in my life, second only to Douglas Gallo, had the gall to question my view of trust.
“Maybe somethings just need to be kept between ourselves, you know?” James stood up to leave.
“I wished you practised what you preached,” I called after him.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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A little lost on what’s happening at 1 Lovelock Drive?
Well, you see, Andie’s break-up started back in February and so much has happened since then. These stories will help you catch right up! xx
