The Boyfriend Blog

e apartment. I’ll order takeout and show you the rest of the designs I made on the new video game.”

“I would love that, but can I get a raincheck? I’ve got a date.”

“Another one?”

She grins and walks toward the door. “I’m not going to meet Mr. Right sitting on your couch.”

“Maybe Aiden is Mr. Right.”

“See.” I point to Edna. “Even Edna thinks so.”

Lizzie rolls her eyes. “Mr. Right Now, maybe,” she fires back.

Edna holds a fist to her mouth to try and hide her smile.

“Whatever.” I frown and look at Lizzie. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“I just told you, I have a date.”

“And we both know it won’t end well, and you’ll be at my place by eight.” The words tumble from my mouth of their own accord. I don’t realize how harsh they sound until they’re out, and they hit their target.

Lizzie’s expression falls. She blinks, and my heart cracks wide open. I did that. I put that look on her face. “Lizzie, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

She shakes her head and takes a step back. “I know exactly what you meant. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Aiden.”

With those final words, Lizzie hightails it for the door.

“Lizzie.” I rush after her, only to have the door slammed in my face. “Liz!” I yank it open in time to see her apartment door slam shut.

“Let her go.” Edna points to the couch across from her. “Sit.”

“Christ.” I shut the door, drop onto the plastic-covered couch, and rub my hands over my face.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know.” Tilting my head to the ceiling, I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

“Yes, you do. So, I’ll ask you again. What just happened, Aiden? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”

“I am.” My head snaps forward. Edna’s brows are raised as she listens to me. “Every single time she goes on a date, I feel like my heart gets ripped from my chest. And when she shows up at my door a few hours later, depressed and sad over whatever the stupid prick said or did, I want to murder someone. I’m so jealous, I can’t see straight.”

“This is great.” Edna’s smile stretches across her face. “I always knew you two would end up together.”

“We’re not going to end up together.”

“Sure, you will. All you’ve got to do is tell her how you feel.”

Edna is still too wrapped up in her own love story to see straight. “I’ve asked her out—more than once—but she keeps shooting me down.”

“Interesting. She didn’t tell me that.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“You keep asking until she says, ‘yes.’”

“That’s not going to work.” And I don’t think my heart can take being turned down by her any more than it already has.

“Yes, it will. Somehow, you got yourself stuck in the Friend Zone, and now you’ve got to dig yourself out.”