AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He never promised me anything and I'm going to start looking for someone as soon as I'm over Dylan.”
Tori's look is that of a concerned mother. “Which may be never, Claire.”
I rub my temples. “Can we not talk about this anymore, please?”
It's on the tip of my tongue to tell them they're never happy with anything I do, but I'm aware they're just worried about me. Pouting and acting like an unhappy child isn't exactly a warranted response. I'm an adult who can make my own decisions and that means acting like one. In all likelihood, I will end up hurt, but it's my choice. I'm going into this friendship fully aware it will probably bite me in the arse.
It's not like I have all that many choices on how to handle this. Dylan and Austin are still friends, so technically Dylan willnever be out of my life completely. He'll come back to Australia and I'll see him again at some point.
After everything that's happened, it's not like I can go back to deluding myself about my feelings or treat Dylan like some kind of pest. If I don't want to become bitter, twisted, and hateful towards him, talking to him is my only option.
I'd rather have him in my life than not. Friendship is just the best option out of a bunch of crappy ones.
“Fine,” Kara says. “But I need a drink.”
“I second that,” I say.
Tori stands. “Let's get our drink on, then.”
***
I'm still out with the girls at Brody's when Dylan calls. Knowing the girls will give me a hard time about answering the phone to my new ‘friend’, I grab my phone and tell my friends I'm going to the toilet. As soon as I've moved away, I pick up the call.
“Hello.”
“Jesus, it's loud there. Where are you?”
“I'm at Brody's with the girls. It's a Saturday night, so it's busy. Well, you know how it is.”
He doesn't respond straight away. “Yeah, I know. God, I wish I was there right now.”
I wish for that exact same thing. “I'm sure you're having your own crazy Saturday night.”
The way my chest constricts speaks volumes of how much I hate the idea.
“Actually, that's why I called. I wanted to let you know I'm home safe and sound. No photos were taken and no one got drunk and pawed me.”
I smile, even as sadness rattles through me, shaking my bones. He might not be hitting on other women yet, but he willeventually, won't he? My friends are right. How can he go any length of time without sex, and why would he want to when he doesn't have to? He hasn't made me any promises. Dylan has never given me any reason to believe he's looking to settle down with me eventually. He's never suggested we might have a future together. The only future he's talked about is travelling with me.
And where would that lead us? If I did what he asked and went with him, how long would it take before I wanted to come home and settle down? Eating through my savings so I can spend more time with a man who's never expressed any interest in settling down – all the while falling more and more in love with him – just seems...crazy.
“Claire, are you there?”
“Yes. Yes, I'm here.” Even if my head is miles away, with him.
“How's your Saturday night so far?”
I look back at the girls and then at the door of the bar. Before the girls see me and make me change my mind, I walk out the front of Brody's so I can hear him better.
“It's fine.”
“Just fine? No Dylan 2.0 there, putting the moves on you?”
I wonder if he hates the idea of me hooking up with someone as much as I hate the idea of him hooking up with someone. “No Dylan 2.0 yet.”
“Yet. You make it sound like it's just a matter of time before my replacement shows up.”
Replacing him is impossible. “No one could annoy me as much as you do, if it's any consolation.”
