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“So you’re going to attend as the spy of the family or something?” I ask, chuckling at the idea, but Elise stares at me without an ounce of a smile.
“Kind of,” she says, causing my eyebrows to inch up in surprise. I wait a few more seconds to see if she will develop her answer, but when Elise resumes eating, it’s clear that she doesn’t want to elaborate on it anymore, so I drop the subject. It’s enough that I know she doesn’t want to sabotage Andries and Roxie, which gives me room to work with.
I let her lead the conversation away from her brother and father after that, simply enjoying the food and her company. I don’t want to press her too hard and make her reluctant to spend time with me, so I make sure to make the rest of the evening lighthearted and enjoyable for her. She’s beautiful when she laughs, and even when she scowls at me, her nose wrinkles. I pour us a few more shots, and by the fourth, she isn’t hacking it up. The only sign that it’s affecting her is her watering eyes.
Spending the entire night at this table with Elise doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but the hours continue to pass, and I know I’ve got to let her go. Once I finish paying, I escort her outside, arm in arm, her steps a little heavier than usual because of the sake. I'd driven us to dinner and four shots of sake overa few hours don’t affect me any, but I see Elise stopping by the sidewalk when I’m about to go to the driver’s seat.
“Don’t you want a ride?” I ask her.
“No, don’t worry. I booked an Uber before we left.”
Her announcement causes a slight pang in my heart. “I can give you a ride home. I’m okay,” I offer somewhat hopefully, but she shakes her head.
“That’s fine, really, but thank you for dinner. It’s just what I needed after such a rough day.”
To my surprise, she approaches me, opening her arms. I gather her into a hug instinctively, and her face rests below my chin, fitting so perfectly in my embrace. I can smell her floral perfume and the sweet scent of her skin, and it makes me dizzy. I’ve never been this close to her before, and holding her warm body makes all those feelings I’ve been trying to tamp down swirl out of the depths of my mind. Elise is gorgeous, strong-willed, and keeping her firmly in the friend zone is driving me crazy. I expect it always will, and I’ll just have to learn to live with it.
Just as she snuggles her face into my shoulder, my phone goes off shrilly in my pocket, causing us both to jump back. Jaw clenched in annoyance, I pull it out and see that it’s Jessica letting me know that she’s arrived at my place and already let herself in. I curse under my breath, tucking the phone back into my pocket. I had completely forgotten about her coming over tonight.
One look at her tipsy, bright face and Elise makes me think that it’s probably a good thing Jessica is waiting for me. She’ll be a good distraction if nothing else. The thought makes me feel guilty because Jessica deserves to be more than just a distraction, but as of right now, I have zero interest in commitment, and I’m not about to shackle myself to someone just to make them feel better.
I take one last glance at the eldest Van Den Bosch daughter, feeling melancholy but not letting it show on the outside. “Just text me when you get home, okay?”
Elise huffs in annoyance but gives a quick nod. “Yes, yes, I’ll let you know I’m safe or whatever.”
When she spots a car stopping by the sidewalk, she looks down at her phone and gives a few steps back. “Well, I’m leaving… my ride's here.”
I wish I could hug her again, but instead, I just offer a soft smile. “Have a good night, El.”
Back at my townhouse, Jessica isn’t anywhere to be found inside, but then I spot the light coming from the terrace of my bedroom, and I can’t help but wonder if she’s already made herself comfortable on the loungers. When I pull open the door to join her outside, I’m immediately hit with the pungent smell of the marijuana she must have taken out of my bedside table. I’m a bit annoyed that she helped herself, but she looks so good in her leggings and cropped top, her hair curling down her breasts, that it’s easy to forgive her.
Without a word, I lie next to her on the lounger, and she passes me the joint without even glancing my way. It’s always this way between us––casual to the point of it being almost strange––but it suits me well. I take the joint and hit it, the heady smoke filling my lungs and staying there while I hold my breath before releasing it to curl up into the dark sky.
I pass it back to Jessica, who is all too happy to wrap her lips around it. Her eyes are lidded and heavy, and while I would usually be thinking filthy things at this point in the night with her, my mind is still elsewhere. I want to talk about it, I realize,but I certainly can’t talk about my inconvenient feelings toward Elise with Jessica, so I tell her the next best thing I can think of, desperate to at least get some things off my chest.
After exhaling my second hit, I say, “My best friend is getting married.”
Jessica looks at me quickly. “Andries? Is he marrying that woman we all met in Ghent?”
I don’t mention that I knew her long before Ghent and just nod. “Yeah, Andries and Roxanne.” I turn my head slightly to check her face. “Isn't that crazy?”
“Yes, very crazy, actually.” She shakes her head, her gaze returning to the sky. “He’s so young! I can’t believe he’d be making a commitment like that at such a young age.”
“Me either,” I agree. “But once Andries sets his mind on something, there is no stopping him.”
Jessica says something about hoping Andries knows what he’s getting into, but I’m distracted by my phone going off. I touch the screen to wake it up, reading the message preview from Elise and smiling to myself.
Elise:I’m back at my place, Mr. Annoying.
2
Amsterdam, April 19, 2022
Dan
My best friendis finally back and I couldn’t be more excited to see him again. Andries is waiting for me at one of the cafes on campus, just like we had agreed. He’d decided to sit on the patio for the unseasonably warm day, his long legs spread out and his posture relaxed. It’s an odd state for the usually churlish Andries, but I’m glad for it.
“What’s up, man?” I ask as I reach the table, and Andries stands to greet me with an affectionate handshake and shoulder pat.
