Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“What, I’m not enough?”
“Nope.”
I pout. “That’s rude.”
She shrugs. “It’s the truth!”
She gives me a kiss to let me know she’s only partially kidding. We pull apart when the bell over the door rings. Leila’s coworker walks in and squeals when she sees us.
“OMG. You’re Spencer James!”
“Yeah, that’s me. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Spencer, this is Clementine.”
“I didn’t realize you’d be here, or I would’ve come in earlier!”
“I thought you were going to be working with a client all day,” Leila says.
“I was, but we finished early. She wants me to pick out paint colors and stuff. She’s got three kids home from school, so it makes more sense for me to do that here.”
“Ah. Well, it’s nice to have another body in the office.”
Clementine laughs. “Looks like you had plenty of body already.”
“Spencer was just leaving.”
“Yeah, I do have to go. I’m hanging out with my buddy later, and I gotta shower and get ready.”
Leila winks at me. “Good plan. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I give her one last kiss and walk out the door.
Thankfully, when I text Mason, he tells me he’s not busy tonight and would be happy to hang out. I figured if Leila has plans with Malia, he probably wouldn’t have anything going on. The guy doesn’t do much other than work and hang out with his girlfriend.
I realize I now am the same way, but Leila was right. Some time apart will do us good. Not too much, though. It has only been a couple of minutes since I walked out of her office, and I already miss her.
I go home, shower, change, and then sit on my couch watching TV until it’s time to meet up with Mason at our favorite club. He’s waiting outside for me when I get there.
“Hey, man, I was surprised to get your text. I feel like we haven’t done this in forever.”
“We haven’t. It’s about time. Plus, Leila told me she doesn’t want to hang out tonight.”
“Malia said the same thing,” Mason says with a laugh. “But hey, we’ll have some fun.”
We get let into the club and immediately go for the bar. I take a deep breath as we’re waiting in line.
“Wow, I’ve missed this. Coming out with Leila just isn’t the same.”
“I get it, man. I love Malia, but it’s more fun to just be out with the guys.”
“Exactly!” I say. It is fun to be out with just Mason, but a part of me misses Leila. I pull out my phone and shoot her a text. She responds almost immediately that she’s having a spa day with Malia and some other girls, so she won’t be able to talk to me much.
“Dude, did you just text Leila?”
“No,” I lie.
Mason rolls his eyes. “Keep your phone away from here on out, man. This is our night. We’re about to get lit.”
I laugh. “Fine, I will. But no texting Malia either.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
We finally get to the front of the line and each order two beers so we won’t have to wait again for a while.
“Isn’t it weird that Leila’s idea of a fun night is to go to a spa, and mine is to go to a bar?” I ask Mason. We stand off to the side of the dance floor, close to where Leila had stood on our first date.
Mason shrugs. “You don’t want always to be doing the same things, right? It makes more sense for you to have separate interests.”
“I guess, but it still makes me nervous. Like, what if we’re too different.”
“That’s not possible. You may like different things, but the two of you are very similar. Just like Malia and me. She likes spas, too, while I like getting drunk at the bar.”
“That’s true.”
“You make it work when it’s worth it. Do you think Leila is worth it?”
I immediately say yes, and Mason nods. “Then you’ll figure it out. No need to be worried all the time.”
We finish our first beer while chatting, and then the two of us start dancing on the floor. A few girls try to come talk to us, but we tell them we’re taken, and eventually, they leave us alone. I’m not sure if they think we’re taken by other women or each other, but I honestly don’t care either way. The last thing I need is pictures of me with some random girl to start spreading around. I know Leila would believe me if I told her nothing happened, but would the world? Doubtful.
“So, man, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you,” Mason says, shouting over the loud music and finishing his second beer.
“What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s great. I’m going to ask Malia to move in with me. And I’m going to ask her to marry me. Probably at the same time.”
I stop dancing and nearly drop the sip of beer I have left. “Holy shit, man, that’s awesome. And about time. You two have been together forever.”