Searching for Neverland

By Monica Alexander

Who can think about having kids when you still are one – at least on the inside?

Taylor Ellison never wanted to grow up. In fact, if she could have stayed twenty-two and blissfully ignorant about life, she probably would have. But life doesn’t allow you to stand still. So at twenty-eight, with not a marriage worthy guy in sight and suddenly jobless, Taylor decides to stop trying so hard to grow up, especially since searching for Mr. Right sucks anyway. She wonders if maybe it’s time to just have some fun. And when her best friend, Josh, talks her into opening a pub with him, she finally feels like her life is falling into place.

Josh is a perpetual bachelor who Taylor knows won’t get serious with anyone. He’s holding onto his youth as tightly as she is. Then one night everything changes, and Taylor starts to realize that Josh might not see her as just a friend. But does she feel the same way? And is she willing to take a risk on a friendship and a partnership with a guy who might never grow up? Then again, maybe a guy like Josh is exactly who she’s been searching for all along.

*Contains Mature Content

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monica Alexander
• Release date: Jan 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301711956

Monica Alexander

Monica Alexander is a writer of contemporary, new adult, and young adult fiction. In 2011, she turned her lifelong love of reading and books into a career when she published her first novel, "Just Watch the Fireworks". When she's not reading and writing, you can find her at the beach, in the mountains, or hiking through a city, soaking all the beauty of the world around her and turning her experiences into inspiration for her next book.

Book preview

Searching for Neverland

By Monica Alexander

ISBN: 978-1-3017-1195-6

Copyright 2013 by Monica Alexander

Smashwords Edition

Cover Image: © PhotoAlto / www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography

This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or personals, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Reserved

No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author.

The information in this book is distributed as an as is basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Epilogue

About the Author

Playlist

Chapter 1

I hate guys, I growled as I shut the front door and leaned my head back against it.

Having just been on my fifth dead-end first date in as many weeks, I was seriously starting to think that being single for the rest of my life might not be such a bad option. Where, I ask you, did all the good men go? When I was twenty-two, there seemed to be a plethora of them. Now, from where I stood, rapidly edging toward thirty, there seemed to be seriously slim pickings – or maybe I was just a magnet for the worst men on the planet.

Hey, what did I do? I heard from the kitchen and jumped a mile.

I wasn’t expecting to actually get a response to my rhetorical statement since I thought no one was home. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. I would have recognized that southern-accented voice anywhere.

As if on cue, my roommate Josh rounded the corner from the kitchen with a bowl of cereal in his hand and milk dripping from his chin. Typical Josh.

I couldn’t help the grin that crept up on my face. He was such a mess, but I loved that something as simple as him having milk on his chin could turn my pissy mood around.

Thank you, I said, perplexing him further, as his eyebrows knitted together.

Um, okay, he said, as he wiped his chin with sleeve of his long sleeve t-shirt.

Shitty date, that’s all, I told him, as I kicked off the heels I was wearing and made a face at them. They’d been pinching my feet for the past few hours. I think I might just stop dating. It would definitely be preferable to the agony of going out on these dead-end dates all the time.

It literally pained me to think of the perfectly good hours I’d lost going out with duds. Why couldn’t I meet someone who was at least fun? Or someone who was really hot who just wanted casual sex? I would be amendable to that at this point.

Josh chuckled and pointed at me with his spoon. That is exactly why I don’t go on dates with women I’ve only met for five minutes.

Ha, ha, I said, as I pushed past him and went to sit down in the living room.

He’d been giving me shit all week for accepting a date with tonight’s guy soon after meeting him the previous weekend. I’d met him at O’Donnell’s, my uncle’s bar, where Josh worked as a bartender/manager, and he’d been behind the bar at the time I’d been talking to the cute guy who’d occupied the barstool next to mine while my friend Casey was in the bathroom. The guy was sweet, and he told me I was pretty, and to my credit, I was heavily intoxicated, so I didn’t see the flaws in him that I might have noticed had I been sober – namely that he was shorter than me and mind-numbingly boring.

And my sweet and considerate roommate hadn’t thought to tell me any of these things. He thought it was funnier for me to figure them out on my own. Love him for that.

Josh followed me into the living room and flopped down into the armchair. He stuffed a heaping spoonful of cereal into his mouth and said something that wasn’t the least bit coherent.

Are you eating my cereal? I asked him, already knowing the answer.

He grinned, then finished chewing, and swallowed. Yes, he said, and gave me the look he always gave me when he did something bad. It was a mix between puppy dog eyes and little boy innocence, and he knew I couldn’t resist it.

Jerk, I muttered, but I wasn’t the least bit upset. My roommates knew how much of a cereal fiend I was, but I was willing to share when they asked nicely – or shamefully begged for forgiveness after pilfering my supply.

I was hungry, Josh said so pathetically, as if he was a starving orphan.

I rolled my eyes and smiled. You’re ridiculous.

Do you want me to make you a bowl? he offered.

I shook my head. No, but I’d love a beer.

You got it, he said, setting his cereal bowl on the coffee table. Go change, and then you can come back down and tell me all about your crappy date.

I wasn’t sure why Josh was home, since he was supposed to go out with his friends that night, but I was sure glad he’d decided to stay in.

Five minutes later, I came back down the stairs wearing yoga pants and my favorite Gators t-shirt from college. I settled onto the couch, crossed my legs under me, and pulled my long blond hair back into a messy bun as Josh tossed me a can of Coors Light.

Bless you, I said, popping it open and taking a huge swig. So no big plans tonight?

Even though it was only ten o’clock, he was wearing gray basketball shorts and a white Atlanta Braves t-shirt, and his light brown hair was damp, as if he’d recently showered, so I knew he wasn’t going out.

He shook his head and stretched his legs out in front of him on the coffee table. Sean and Cole were going to Channelside, but I haven’t had a night off in a while, and the idea of spending my night in a bar seemed less than appealing.

Josh had worked at the Irish pub my Uncle Stu owned for the past three years, which happened to back directly up to our house. In addition to bartending, he’d started managing the day shift the year before, and a girl named Chelsea had been the night manager. But in May, Chelsea had finished her degree and had gotten a job in her field, so Josh had picked up some of her shifts while he’d hired and trained a new night manager. He’d had been working close to seventy hours a week for the past month, so I knew he was beat.

I wish I would have stayed in with you tonight, I said wistfully.

So what was wrong with tonight’s guy? he asked, cutting right to the chase.

He’d heard my complaints about the last four guys I’d dated – toxic bad breath, did a line of coke during our date, had a distractingly large Adam’s apple, and talked about his mom during most of dinner – so it made sense that Josh was serving as my dating sounding board for tonight’s dud.

He was short, I said, shrugging as I took another sip of my beer. And he had garlic breath, and he was really, really boring.

How short? Josh asked, making a face.

Shorter than me, I said, as if it was all that was needed to be said.

Josh made a face. He didn’t date girls taller than him, but of course, at 6’1, he didn’t find many girls taller than him, so it was kind of a moot point. I was only 5’6, so shorter than me was short.

And he had garlic breath? he questioned, raising his eyebrows. I knew sometimes my dating stories were out there, but I swear, they were all true. I usually dated weirdos, bottom line.

I sighed. Yeah, he’d eaten Italian for lunch, and he was discreetly burping it up all throughout our date. I felt bad for him, and I probably would have let that slide had he not been soooo dull, I said, letting my head fall back against the couch.

Are you sure you weren’t being too picky?

I glared at Josh, but in his defense, I’d let guys go for lesser annoyances and had been accused more than once of not giving a guy a chance and being too judgmental too early in the dating process. But I hadn’t done that with tonight’s guy. Just thinking of the conversation we’d had about 401ks and stocks that I’d been forced to sit through made me want to take a long nap.

No, I was not being too picky, I retorted.

So Josh raised his eyebrows at me as if to say, go on, and I knew he didn’t believe me.

I shook my head. He shared his five year plan with me, which included making partner at his law firm, getting married and having two kids.

In five years?! Josh questioned, and I knew he finally understood.

Most of our other friends were looking forward to settling down and having families, including our roommate, Allison, who was Josh’s younger sister and my best friend. She dreamed about the day she could marry Corey, her boyfriend of four years, and start popping out kids. For me, that concept was terrifying. Sure, I wanted to get married, but kids wouldn’t be in the cards for several years. I was still trying with everything in me to hang on to my youth, and I knew Josh, who had a bit of a Peter Pan complex himself, was doing the same. Hell, he didn’t even have a real job, he loved sleeping in, staying out late, and he hadn’t ever had a girlfriend in the three years we’d lived together. He was nowhere close to settling down.

Eesh, Josh said, mock shivering at the thought of having kids. He really told you that on your first date?

Oh yeah, I confirmed, my eyes going wide. It was one of the first things he told me, as if it was supposed to entice me or something.

Josh gave me a knowing look, and I knew what he was thinking. He was two years older than me, so he’d dated a few girls around his age who were watching their biological clocks like hawks. I knew it freaked him out when a girl he’d just started seeing brought up marriage and kids, or even co-habitation. It was why he’d switched to primarily dating girls in their early twenties over the past year.

I sighed. I know, I’m weird. I should have been thrilled that he didn’t want to be a bachelor forever and just use me for sex, but I couldn’t do it. All I could picture was this boring life where I stayed home with our kids and he went to work and came home expecting dinner on the table. I freaked.

Oh, so you’re going to be a stay at home mom when you two get hitched? Josh joked.

I nodded. Oh yeah. He doesn’t want his wife to work, I said pointedly. How do I know this? He told me. Right after the waiter took our order. Let’s just say it set the mood for the rest of the date.

Not that I was opposed to eventually staying home with my kids, when I eventually had them, but I was in the middle of getting my MBA, so I sort of figured I might want to do something with it before giving up my career for a family. And I liked to work.

But none of that mattered, since I wouldn’t be seeing short, dull, garlicky guy again. It was a non-issue.

So, no goodnight kiss, I assume?

I made a face, imagining how gross that kiss would have tasted. You assume correct. I told him I’d had a long week, was really tired, and bolted as soon as I could.

Nice, Josh said, as he finished his beer. Way to avoid conflict.

It’s what I do best, I said, as I folded my arms across my chest. Next time I’m getting hit on, can you do me a favor and just tell the guy you’re my boyfriend? Please?

Absolutely, he said without hesitation. If I’m there, I’ll definitely lie for you, but just so I’m clear, do you think we should make-out for a little bit after we tell the guy, you know, just to be sure it seems legitimate?

If I could reach you, I’d smack you, I threatened. That’s gross.

He opened his mouth in mock-offense. I’ll have you know I am an extremely good kisser.

Been there, done that, and you’re not even in my top ten.

Hey now. I was sixteen, he defended. My kissing has improved tremendously since then.

Yeah, Josh was my first kiss. I had such a crush on him back when I was fourteen and he was sixteen, and I thought I was so cool when I got to kiss him on a dare. It had been sloppy and clumsy, but at the time, having no point of reference, it was the best kiss ever.

Well, I will just have to take your word for it, because I have no plans of experiencing that again, I said, as I got up to walk to the kitchen. You want another?

Yes, please, he called back to me. Hey, a guy can try, right?

I give you an ‘A’ for effort. Personally, I blame Casey, I said, changing the subject, as I walked back into the living room and dropped his beer in his lap and settled onto the arm of his chair.

For what?

If she hadn’t gone to the bathroom at that moment, I never would have met boring guy.

Josh laughed. Right. I’m sure it’s totally her fault. It wasn’t like you could have said no when he asked for your number.

I ignored his logical suggestion. Or, maybe it’s your fault, I ventured. You should have told me he was not worth my time since you were stone cold sober at the time and could have been a good friend and stopped the madness. Or maybe I need to talk to Stu about having a better screening process for customers at the bar.

Josh laughed. Hey, we don’t check Douchebag IDs at the door. If they’re over twenty-one and have a valid driver’s license, we let them in, no questions asked. We also don’t screen for boring or discriminate on height. Short guys need love too, you know. He raised his eyebrows at me in challenge.

Not from me they don’t, I said matter-of-factly.

Good thing I’m not short, he said after a few seconds, and I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. He was looking up at me endearingly. Wanna mess around?

Jeez, desperate much? I teased him.

"Only to get into your pants," he said, raising his eyebrows in suggestion a few times as he looked up at me.

Oh sweetie, keep dreaming, I said, as I hauled myself up and settled back onto the couch.

Josh smirked at me. Oh, I will, he said suggestively, and if I had something to throw him, I would have.

We flirted like that all the time, but both of us knew it was harmless. Since he’d moved back to Tampa and become my roommate, we’d spent a lot of time together, so it was only natural that we’d become close. Allison was gone most of the time, playing house with Corey, so it was usually just Josh and me. We sort of had developed a love/hate, best friend relationship that included making frequent inappropriate sexual innuendos to each other.

But we’d never hooked up. Not once, even in all the times we’d been drunk off our asses together. He’d never once made a play for me, and I’d never thought about making a play for him. We were all talk.

But for as long as I’d known him – I’d been best friends with Allison since the third grade – Josh and I didn’t really grow close until we became roommates. Because he was older than us, he basically ignored us while we’d been growing up, but he’d been hot, and I’d ogled him from afar for years. Then one fateful night, the summer before ninth grade, he invited Allison and me to hang out with him and his friends. And when we were playing truth or dare, I got dared to kiss him. And it was amazing.

I hoped desperately something would spark up between us, and for the next two years while we were all in high school together, I kept that hope alive. But even though I saw him frequently, since I was over at Allison’s all the time, we didn’t really hang out much or even talk. He had his own friends and his own life. And even though I knew deep down that he wasn’t interested in me, I still held out hope that our kiss had made a lasting impression on him and one day he’d walk up to me in the cafeteria and profess his love. It never happened.

Yeah, I know, big shocker.

Then Josh graduated from high school and moved north to attend the University of Georgia, and I realized I needed to give up my crush and date boys my own age. I saw him occasionally when he was home for school breaks, but we rarely hung out together. And then I just occasionally heard about what was going on in his life through what Allison shared since he moved to Atlanta after graduating college. But by that point, any feelings I’d harbored for Josh Nolan had flitted away into nothing.

Then three years ago, he’d finally decided to come back to Florida when his dad had an unexpected heart attack. Since we had an extra room in our house, it only made sense that he would move in, and then I got him a job working at my uncle’s bar. I figured our cohabitation would be temporary, but Josh never moved out. And I can’t lie. I love living with him.

But I also enjoy the fact that we have a strictly platonic relationship. Thankfully my feelings for him never returned, since that might have made living together just the teensiest bit awkward, but more than that, I’m looking for something serious with a guy, and Josh changes women every few weeks.

Truthfully, I feel like he might be a little bit lost. When he first graduated college, he’d been on the fast track to career success. He had his MBA and a great job at a major bank making well over six figures by the time he turned twenty five, but then his best friend Jeremy was killed in a motorcycle accident, and soon after Josh quit his lucrative job in banking and started working at a bar in Buckhead. It was almost like he felt like life was too short to spend it behind a desk, and he set out to change things about his life before it was too late.

Of course that’s just my assumption. Josh doesn’t talk much about his life in Atlanta, but it doesn’t make sense that someone with an MBA, who is pretty damn intelligent, would be content serving drinks on a daily basis. In the rare times I’ve brought up the subject of why he still works at the bar, Josh has always clammed right up. But I guess it doesn’t matter, because he’s happy, and him being unambitious means I have a fun, single friend to hang out with, and I get free drinks – win-win.

And Josh is a great friend. It’s why he plays relationship counselor to me on a regular basis. I’m not sure he applies any of his sage advice to his own life, but that’s not really my concern.

I sighed, bringing myself back to the present where my roommate was eyeing me speculatively.

I’m sure I’ll meet someone eventually, I reasoned. I mean, I can’t be single forever. Or maybe I’ll get lucky, and Alex will come back around.

Tay, seriously? Josh asked, a distasteful look clouding his face. He wasn’t a big fan of my ex-boyfriend.

Yes, I said definitively. I’d never really gotten over Alex, and Josh knew that. Alex was the last guy that I really liked. I’m sorry, but it’s true.

Alex Brockman had been my boyfriend during my senior year of college and again three years later. We’d broken up the second time, because I’d wanted to take things to the next level and he wanted to be single. I still missed him, and a part of me hoped he would change his mind about us, but we’d broken up so long ago that it was stupid to even think about him wanting to be with me again. If he wanted to be with me, he would have called. It was that simple.

Taylor, you can do so much better than that dipshit. Seriously, Josh said, as he got up to go into the kitchen. Both of our beers were empty.

He just had set my new beer down on the coffee table in front of me when his phone dinged to let him know that he had a text message. He walked over to the hall table where it was plugged into the charger. I cracked open my new beer, took a big swig, and attempted to push Alex from my mind. I knew it was unhealthy to think about him. I’d wasted too much time doing just that, and it hadn’t done me any good.

Holy shit!

There was so much shock in Josh’s tone that it startled me, and I forgot for a moment that I was supposed to swallow the beer that was in my mouth. I closed my almost over-flowing mouth quickly, and my cheeks bulged out as I looked up at him. I took a minute to swallow as he was still staring at his phone in shock.

What? I called out as soon as my mouth was free again.

Corey proposed.

It took me a few seconds to register what he’d just said and what it meant, but when I did, my jaw dropped and my eyes bugged out.

Shut up! I screamed, as I jumped up from the couch and crossed the room to where he was standing. Let me see that.

I reached for his iPhone so I could see the text from Allison. There it was, plain as day – I’m engaged! with a picture of the ring on her finger.

Oh, my God, I said, my hands flying to my mouth. I knew the excitement in my voice was mixed with something that I couldn’t pinpoint. I hated to admit that it was something bordering on jealously and pity for myself. I’m so happy for her.

Josh instinctively saw how disjointed the words sounded and put his arm around me. It’s okay to not be a hundred percent thrilled about this, he said, reading my emotions. He really knew me way too well.

I felt a tear slide down my cheek. My best friend was engaged. Okay, so I knew that was going to happen eventually. She’d been dating Corey for four years, and they were moving in together in a few weeks, so it was probably about time he proposed, but for someone who couldn’t even find a boyfriend, the news really sucked to hear. I’m not going to lie.

Dammit. I was a shitty friend.

I looked up at Josh, as I swiped the tears away, trying to hide them, but he’d already seen how upset I was. His bright blue eyes were slightly clouded as he looked down at me with concern.

Okay, you can’t tell Allison that I was crying when I found out. You can’t tell her. I want her to think I’m happy for her – which I am, it’s just . . . I trailed off as fresh tears started to fall down my face again.

I know, Josh said, as he put his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. I know you’re happy for her, but I know it’s also hard to hear.

I nodded into his chest. I felt so secure with his arms around me, and I was suddenly so grateful that he was there. I knew that if I checked my phone, there would be an identical text from Allison. If I’d been alone when I’d read that message, I would have been so much worse off.

It took me a few minutes before I felt calm enough to pull away from Josh. The tears had stopped, but I still felt like shit. I instinctively reached for the beer in his hand and took a big gulp. I went to hand it back to him, but he waved in dismissal.

Keep it. You need it more than me.

Thank you, I said, looking up at him through wet lashes. He was eyeing me pensively.

You know if you really want a boyfriend, I’ll volunteer.

I started for a moment before I started to laugh uncontrollably, so much so that I almost fell over I was laughing so hard. When I pulled back to look at him, trying to get my giggles under control, he looked offended, but I knew it was in jest.

Aww, are you seriously offering? I giggled, knowing he was kidding.

He kissed me on the forehead. Not in the slightest. Besides, Kimmy would probably get upset if I start dating someone else.

I raised my eyebrows. Kimmy?

I had no idea who he was talking about. He hadn’t told me he was seeing someone new which was odd.

Yeah, Kimmy, he confirmed.

And who is Kimmy?

He swallowed hard. Um, my girlfriend. I thought I told you about her, he said quickly, and I took note that the word ‘girlfriend’ didn’t roll off his tongue so easily.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Girlfriend?

Josh didn’t have girlfriends – at least since I’d been living with him. I’d never even heard him use that word.

He cleared his throat, and all of a sudden it was like he was visibly uncomfortable with the conversation.

Yeah, um, I’ve been seeing her for a few weeks, and she wanted to be exclusive, so I sort of agreed. I thought I told you about her.

I shook my head. No, you definitely did not.

Oh, sorry.

I looked at him in confusion. Josh, do you even want a girlfriend?

It was the first time I’d heard him label someone he was dating. He usually saw a girl for a few weeks before he moved on, but he would always keep things really casual and never, ever labeled the relationship. Hell, most of the time he was seeing a few women at once.

I’m thirty-one, was his response.

Yeah, so.

Well, I figure I should probably stop screwing around and be serious. I do want to get married or at least have someone who’s a permanent fixture in my life. And that’s not going to happen if I don’t attempt to be monogamous.

And Kimmy’s the one you think you’re going to end up with?

I couldn’t see it, and I hadn’t even met the girl yet. Just her name alone made me squirm. Kimmy. What was she, twelve? But even beyond that, Josh looked too uncomfortable to be serious about this girl. It was like just talking about the fact that he had a girlfriend was wigging him out.

Josh shrugged. I don’t know, he mumbled, and I knew I should stop hounding him, but I just couldn’t. This was too bizarre.

Okay, I said brightly, changing tactics. Tell me about her. What do you like about her?

Well, she’s a lawyer. I met her at the gym. She’s cute and funny and nice.

Yeah, that gave me so much to go off of. I knew immediately that she wasn’t the one for him. Maybe because I knew Josh so well, or maybe it was his tone, but either way, I knew Kimmy wouldn’t be around long.

And, she goes by Kimmy? I asked skeptically.

I couldn’t imagine taking a lawyer named Kimmy seriously.

To her friends. At work she goes by Kimberly.

I smirked, and he shoved me in the shoulder, relaxing for the first time since he’d revealed this monumental news.

Sorry, I said, as I righted myself. I won’t be mean about Kimmy anymore. Are you going out with her and DJ later?

I laughed at my own joke, as visions of Kimmy Gibbler from Full House danced in my head.

Ha, ha, Josh said, as he reached for the beer I was holding. You’re hilarious. It’s no wonder you’re still single.

I smacked him on the chest with the back of my hand and took the beer back from him, taking a long pull. Jerk. That was a low blow.

Aww, did I hurt your feelings? he asked with mock comfort in his voice as he put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him.

Whatever. I jerked away from him. Your side comments mean nothing to me. I will one day find the most amazing man, and I will fall in love with him – faults and all – and it will all be perfect.

What the hell was I talking about, and why was I waxing philosophical? My dating exhaustion mixed with my beer buzz was making me stupid. It was definitely a sign that I needed to go to bed.

Good luck to you, Josh said. You just summed up what we’re all looking for.

He grabbed the beer we were sharing and raised it to me.

I thought you were happy being a bachelor, I countered.

I’d honestly always thought Josh had been content casually dating the girls in their early twenties that he usually went for because he knew there was no threat of them wanting to settle down. I figured he’d be single until he was at least forty.

Hey, I’m looking for the right person as much as the next guy, but unfortunately, that person is hard to come by.

Maybe you should stop dating twenty-two year-olds, I suggested.

He made a face. I do not just date twenty-two year-olds, he defended.

I raised my eyebrows. Fine, maybe you should date girls your own age then.

He made another face, and I knew what he was thinking – they were all clock-watchers.

Well how old is Kimmy?

Twenty-six, he said confidently.

And she’s not ‘the one’?

He leaned back against the wall and appraised me. Don’t know. I just met her, so we’ll see.

She wasn’t. I could already tell. And I hoped Josh would realize it soon. I wasn’t sure why he was forcing himself into a relationship when it was clear he was doing it for the wrong reasons.

I sighed. Okay, bedtime.

Josh grinned. I’ll be up in a minute. Take off your clothes and wait for me.

I fake gagged at that suggestion. Dream on, and please remember that you have a girlfriend now, so sexual innuendos made toward your female roommate probably won’t be welcomed gestures.

Josh blew me a suggestive kiss, and then his expression changed.

Do I want a girlfriend? he asked when I was halfway across the room.

I turned around to face him. Sweetie, that’s something I can’t answer for you, but have fun pondering that inevitable question you’ve no doubt been asking yourself for the past ten years. I blew him a kiss in return. Goodnight.

Night, Tay, he said, and I could definitely see the wheels turning inside his head. Then when I was halfway up the stairs he finally answered his own question. Yeah, I do. I want a girlfriend.

Great! Can’t wait to meet her, I called back, being the supportive friend I knew he needed me to be in that moment even though I was less than thrilled about meeting Kimmy.

Chapter 2