Evan frowned. “Yeah, Lauren really didn’t like her. I do remember that. But she loves you. Why would it go that way?”
“Maybe it will be fine, but…it’s so much potential for drama. And I’m tired of drama in my love life. I just want a nice guy and a drama-free relationship.”
“Well,Iwon’t tell Lauren.” Evan mimed zipping his lips. “And sex is, you know, a private thing. You’re not obligated to tell Lauren anything. Remember how she dated Caleb for all those weeks without telling us?”
Paige stewed on that for a moment.
“And, you know, being related to Lauren isn’t actually a character flaw,” said Evan.
“But it’s weird, right? I mean, he’s my friend’s brother. And said friend is also my boss. It’s too complicated.”
“But you like him.”
Paige decided to ignore that. “Besides which, he’s a new lawyer at some big firm, so he’s working insane hours and doesn’t have much free time. That’s not really an equation that equals a good, lasting relationship.”
“Yeah, Lauren mentioned he pretty much lived at the office. She’s only seen him twice since he moved here, and they live, like, eight blocks from each other.”
“Not to mention, if we break up, Lauren will totally side with Josh. Blood is thicker than friendship.”
Evan frowned. “I guess.”
“So, see? It’s hopeless.”
“All right. So don’t call him, and we keep this from Lauren, and we all move on with our lives. Is that what you want?”
Was it? No, not really. She wanted to see Josh again and she wanted to see where the relationship could go and she wanted him not to be Lauren’s brother. She sighed. “I guess so.”
Lauren arrived then. Evan mimed zipping his lips again when Lauren wasn’t looking, but she quickly spotted them and walked over to the table. She slid into the booth with a smile. “Caleb is doing the overnight shift and wanted me to pass on that he misses you all but also would not be interfering with, in his words,girl talk.”
Evan laughed. “We’re all grateful for that, but last I checked, I’m not a girl.”
“Yeah, he got a little hung up on that point, too, and preemptively apologized.”
“Well, like any good husband, he seems to have given you permission to talk about him behind his back, so…any hot goss?”
Lauren shook her head. “No, not really. Same old, same old. The most heated conversation we had this week involved him wanting to buy a new chair for the living room and then us disagreeing where to buy it.”
“Wow. What happened to you guys? Your fights used to make armed conflict look like mild disagreement.”
Lauren frowned. “What, you mean back when he was still kind of a dick and we fought all the time? Yeah, we’ve mostly moved past that. Although the fight over where to buy the chair did lead to us having sex on the old chair, so…” Lauren shrugged.
“Whatever makes you happy,” said Evan. “So, since we’re all here and Lauren is a boring married lady now, I have an important love life update.”
Paige looked at the table, suddenly nervous Evan was about to betray her, but then she realized she was being self-centered. Evan probably intended to update them on his own love life.
Which he did. “So, Pablo and that guy with the beard and the glasses who hangs out at the bookstore all the time are definitely a couple.” Pablo was Evan’s longtime crush who worked at the bookstore a few doors down from the Cat Café. For a long time, Pablo’s sexuality and relationship status had been an open question, allowing Evan to live in hope.
“Bummer,” said Lauren. “How can you tell?”
“I bought a book the other day and Pablo introduced the guy as his boyfriend, Chris.”
“Thatisdamning evidence,” said Lauren.
“Should I feel guilty for approaching him about an event I want to do at the Café?” Paige asked.
“No, it’s fine,” said Evan. “I’m the one being a drama queen. He was never really mine. I’d be surprised if he knows my name and doesn’t think of me as the needy guy with good hair.”
Paige looked up at Evan’s light brown hair, which he’d arranged into a bit of a pompadour today. He did have good hair, but she said, “Okay” with a little sarcasm in her voice.
