“I have this friend…”
“No!” I say, cutting across him.
“No?”
“I’m not going out with your friend.”
“Why not? You don’t even know him.”
“And I don’t want to.”
“I don’t understand why you won’t even meet him. You’re both my friends – my best friends.”
I scoff loudly.
“What’s wrong with the two of you being friends, too?”
“We’reyourfriends. That type of friend.”
“What?”
“Gay friends.”
“So?”
“Do you have any other gay friends?”
“I don’t see why that…”
“You’re just trying to set me up.”
“Me? I’m trying to help!”
“You’re only here because you get a free dinner.”
“That’s one reason, but it’s not just for that.”
“I’m not going out with your friend, Jake. End of story.”
“Whatever. You’ll just have to go to this thing on your own and prove to your ex that you’re capable of being in the same room as him.”
“It’s not a room, it’s a hall. There’ll be loads of people,” I say, unconvincingly.
“But he’ll be at the head table, probably across from you, and next to your dad.”
“Are you done?”
“That depends. Have I convinced you?”
I glance at my watch. My break has been over for a while and they’ll be waiting for me in the kitchen. Although we’re near the end of the night, I can’t just disappear and let the others clean everything up.
“What’s this friend of yours like?”
Jake smiles triumphantly.
“A good guy. Serious, good-looking, cultured.”
“Boring.”
