Strings Attached

“There’s so many people struggling right now. And we’re sitting here in this place where you basically gave me a car dealership—”

“Still mine,” I teased.

“For now,” he countered. “But I live in this apartment for free, and I know you give back—a lot—but…I don’t know. I think we should give some cars away. Like…people could write in or something and share their stories, and we can choose some who are really in need of a vehicle and donate them.”

I was quiet for a second, my thoughts spinning.

“You hate it?” he asked, brows drawn.

I shook my head. “I love it. Just proud of you, is all. We can do that. Do you want to head it up? Since this is your baby?”

“Hell yeah. I think it’ll be really fun. I wish we could get Zander to enter.” He frowned.

“Does he not have a car?” It wasn’t something we’d ever discussed, but then, why would we? And why would Ross have brought it up to me?

“No, he does, but it’s a piece of crap. It’s not going to last long. He’s had some work done on it, but really, it’s time to say goodbye. I’m worried about when the school year starts. He’ll be teaching in Willowbrook, so he’ll have a bit of a drive. It’s not like Midtown where he could walk. There are buses, but…”

But it would add to an already long day. Plus, how did he expect to work two jobs? “He would be insulted if we offered to help. He wants to do things on his own, and he has that right.”

“Um…kinda know that,” Ross replied.

“Shit. Sorry. Listen, I did want to tell you I ran into him at the coffeehouse yesterday. I walked to your place with him, and this morning we jogged together. I—”

“Lalalalalala.” He held his hands over his ears. “I don’t want to know. Nope. I can’t hear you. Stop talking.”

I chuckled. “Nothing happened.”

“Dad…I do not want to know. I don’t want to know if something does or doesn’t happen. You’re my best friend. He’s my best friend. Can’t we just all act normal and not like we have to have all these conversations about it? That’s what makes it weird. I know you’re worried I’m upset, but I promise you, I’m not. As long as there’s no drama, I’m good. If drama happens, I’m kicking both your asses.” He winked.

“So violent,” I joked, then, “Aww, I’m your best friend?”

“You know you are. There’s no one in this world I respect more than you, and I feel similarly about Zander, so ya know, blah, blah, blah, can we go back to my brilliant idea about helping the community?”

The waiter approached then, setting a large platter between us. When we ate sushi, we always ordered a bunch of different things and shared.

“Yes, we can get back to your brilliant idea.” We hammered out the details over our meal, but my thoughts kept going back to Zander…again.

I was losing my damn mind.

* * *

The next morning when I showed up at the same time and place to jog, Zander was there waiting. We chatted while we ran—nothing too extravagant or in depth—then went our separate ways. We followed the same pattern a third morning and a fourth, when he said, “I should, um…probably do some stretching.”

I fought to hold back a grin, which was absolutely ridiculous. It was like he’d turned me into a kid again, where everything was new and exciting, and a giddy feeling tumbled around in my stomach when someone I was attracted to hinted they wanted to spend more time with me. At least, that’s what I was assuming he was doing. “Want some company?”

Zander shrugged, because of course he couldn’t come out and say yes. “Sure, if you want.”

“I want.” There was a long list of things I wanted to do with him, but I bit that back. I pointed to a grassy area under a tree. “Should we head over there, Legolas?” I teased, hoping to get a smirk out of him.

“Will you ever let me live that down?”

“I think I deserve some credit for waiting this long, but if you want my honest answer, then no, I won’t. You should get used to it now.”

“You’re an annoying man, Mr. Robinson…”

I whipped my head toward him, laughter trying to break through my chest. “You did not just call me that.” The Graduate jokes?

“I think I did.” Zander sat down, looking too smug and sexy for his own good. “Two can play this game.”

With a lightness in my chest I had no business feeling after the run we just had, I joined him in the grass. The truth was, I enjoyed our banter. It made me feel like Zander was comfortable with me, like he didn’t feel as if he had to hide behind the walls he kept so firmly around himself. He’d let them down our first night, but that had been because he didn’t know me. He didn’t think he would ever see me again, but now that wasn’t the case. “Remind me again why I like you?” I asked as I began to stretch.