Complicated Girl (Baker Street Romance #2)(29)
Author: Mimi Strong

Chapter 21

After Drew leaves, I spend the bulk of Wednesday watching TV and leafing through magazines. I’ve got to break things off with Drew. Our hookup was fun, but I’ll just get hurt eventually, so I can’t be with him.

Muffin seems agitated, and keeps looking at the front door, like he’s expecting Drew to return.

At quarter after six, Rory phones to ask why I’m not at O’Flannagan’s.

I slap my palm to my forehead. I completely forgot that a few hours earlier, I made plans to see her for dinner.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Obviously not. I am so sorry. Hang on, I’ll wipe the chip crumbs off my shirt and be there as fast as I can.”

“Don’t bother.”

I start to sniffle. “Rory, I’m so sorry. You’re my only friend, and I said the D-word when we were doing laundry, even though I knew you’d be upset, and now I’ve stood you up. I’m the worst person.”

“No, I mean don’t bother wiping the chip crumbs off your shirt. I’ll grab some takeout and bring it over there.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Sure,” she says slowly. “Promise you’ll stay away from pointy things and pliers until I get there.”

I sniff again and thank her.

Rory shows up at the house with a bunch of food, including spicy hot wings. I didn’t think I was hungry, but then the sharp vinegar smell of the barbecue sauce hits my nose and my mouth waters.

Rory has her curly dark hair loose around her shoulders, and her eyes are bright and gold tonight. She’s also wearing makeup, which is unusual for her.

“New dress?” I ask.

“Yup.” She opens the takeout containers and places them around the table with a quickness that comes from being a professional caterer.

“New lipstick?”

She smiles. “Yup.”

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or do I have to drag it out of you one syllable at a time?” The smell of the food is making my mouth water so much, my lips are making smacking sounds when I talk.

“I can’t explain it,” she says, her eyes darting around to check that we have utensils and napkins. “But I talked to the guy who owns Sweet Caroline’s.”

“Duncan?”

“Shush.” She blushes and looks around nervously.

“Rory, we’re in the dining room of a private residence. We’re not in the high school cafeteria. Duncan’s not going to hear us talking about him.”

“It’s nothing.” She shakes her head, her dark curls twirling. “I’m buying some furniture. That’s all.”

“He might have a girlfriend. I saw him with a hot girl in a fancy car.”

“That’s his roommate.”

I snort, and then snort again. “Girls like that don’t live with platonic roommates. Do they?”

She loads up her plate with food, ignoring my question.

“Meenie, grab the food while it’s hot. And tell me what’s going on with you. You don’t usually flake out and forget dates that involved food.”

“Not much is new, except that guy Drew has fallen in love with his first impression of me and I’m going to have to cut him loose before he figures out who I am.”

“You don’t like him? It seemed like you did.”

“Sure, I liked him. I liked him a couple of times. On the front lawn, and in my bed, but he’s delusional. Plus he’s using me.”

Rory looks uncomfortable at the mention of sex, but doesn’t run away. “How can you tell if a guy’s using you?”

“It’s pretty easy if he comes out and tells you. This morning, Drew basically told me his life was all bleak like a black and white movie, and then I came in and started rocking his world in technicolor, like a Manic Pixie Dream Girl.” I spoon more blue cheese dressing onto my plate for the hot wings. “These wings are great, by the way. So, where was I? Right. Drew. So, he’s all sad because he was with some ice queen for too long, maybe since high school, then he meets me and starts gobbling me down like I’m Prozac and Boner Pills all rolled up in one. But when the drug high wears off, where does that leave me?”

“Huh?” Rory looks confused, but she’s never even had a boyfriend, so the idea of getting used as a thrill ride is a foreign concept to her. How can I put this in a metaphor she can understand? What kind of food am I?

“Rory, I’m like birthday cake. I’m the corner slice, with all the icing. Drew is the greedy kid at the party. He wants me, and all the icing, but he’s going to get a stomach ache, and tomorrow he’s going to want his plain sandwiches again.”

She’s quiet for a minute, as though mulling it over. Or maybe she’s thinking about cake, like I am.

Finally, she says, “You’re not cake.”

“But I’m not Tina, am I? I’m not the marrying kind. I’ll never get a guy like Luca. Nobody’s going to sell out the flower shop just to take me on a date. I’m the girl they call to help them fix a flat tire.”

“That’s not true. Duncan said some nice things about you.”

“Shut up!” I howl with laughter. “He did not. Either you’re lying, or he is.”

“I’m serious. He said you’re very interesting.”

“He’s trying to get into your panties.”

She winces at my mention of the word panties.

I apologize immediately. “I’m sorry I said that, Rory. You’re a good friend, and you brought over food, and I’m going to work hard to be a better friend right back. I’m so sorry about all the mean stuff I said on Sunday.”

“Nobody’s perfect.”

“I’m serious, Rory. I am truly, truly sorry. I’m trying to change.”

She reaches across the table and pats my hand. “I love you exactly how you are. You and Tina are like the sisters I never had. I don’t want you to ever change. I just want you to be happy.”

I choke back emotion. “I love you, too, dude. Let’s just be happy from now on.”

“Okay.”

I put on a smile and think about being happy, but it’s too big and abstract, so I start thinking about baking a cake tomorrow.

After a few minutes of eating, I ask, “What else did you and Duncan talk about? Tell me everything.”

“He likes electronic music.”

“And?”

“Well, mostly we just talked about you, and furniture.”