“But I…” I let my voice trail off. “I really like Kennedy.”
“I thought you loved her?”
“Yeah. I do. I love her. But I can’t stop thinking about what you said.”
“I know,” Tanner said.
“I just…if I messed it up for them once before, I don’t want to be the one that messes it up again. But I can’t turn off my feelings for her.”
“I know.”
“But he sat there and told her that he liked her first. And I can’t ever tell Kennedy that. I’ll never be able to.”
“I know,” Tanner said.
“Stop staying you know. You don’t know.”
“Matt, it’s all going to be fine.”
I didn’t respond. I just stared at the taxis zooming by on the street.
“I promise,” Tanner said. “You just need to trust me.”
I didn’t believe that Tanner was an expert on true love. But I still found myself asking: “You think Felix and Kennedy are a good match? Better than me and her?”
“There’s no way for me to know for sure this soon. But I think there’s a good chance. How did she respond to seeing him?”
“Her eyes lit up. Whereas when she first ran into me again, she kneed me in the balls.”
Tanner laughed. “Very different circumstances.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “But still.” I turned to look through the window of the restaurant. Felix and Kennedy were laughing about something. Besides for the empty chair next to Kennedy, it looked like the two of them were on a date.
Had I really always put myself between them during high school?
I hadn’t meant to do that.
I hadn’t been thinking.
I just…I’d needed Kennedy.
I still needed her.
“And are you with Nigel? I need his help with something and I can’t get a hold of him.”
I smiled as I watched Francois walk over to our table and sit in my chair. They were all laughing now. “Yeah, he’s here too. He dressed up like Francois again.”
Tanner laughed. “Is he fooling anyone this time?”
“Not even a little bit.” I looked through the window. Nigel had disappeared. But then I saw him walk back up to the table with another glass of scotch. He proceeded to throw it right in Felix’s face.
Kennedy said something to Nigel and they both started laughing. And then Felix started laughing too.
“What’s so funny?” Tanner asked.
I hadn’t realized that I’d chuckled.Serves Felix right.“Nigel just threw a drink in Felix’s face.”
“Why would he do that? He’s only supposed to be throwing drinks when you and Kennedy are misbehaving.”
