Resist Me Not

26

"I can't believe you didn't fucking tell me any of this until now!" Sasha said to me over the phone on Tuesday, while I ran out of the office to grab lunch. And not only for me, but for Ryan and Adam too.

I was so busy at work that day that I was having a hard time juggling all the tasks I had to do. But when Adam requested I pick up lunch, I didn't mind the mini-break to clear my head.

I stood in line at the strictly take-out restaurant that specialized in soups. "I'm sorry. I figured the less you knew, the better."

"I get it. I guess." I heard her huff into the phone. "But now it's over?"

"One-hundred percent yes. Now I know that Eric is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with." I was next in line to order. "Hold on, Sasha."

I placed the phone against my chest as I gave the server on the other side of the counter my order for three of the daily specials. She dished it into three relatively large to-go bowls, closed the lids, and placed them in a special caddy designed to hold multiple soups for easy transport. I thanked her and scooted down the line to pay the cashier.

Once I was back outside, I brought my phone back to my ear. "Sorry. What was I saying?"

"That you had a fuck fest with Ryan for the last month. Then went to Naples with Eric, and now he's the man you want to spend the rest of your fucking life with." Sasha was always so good at summarizing things.

"Oh, right. Sash, the Eric that I saw in Naples, was the Eric I met. And the Eric that charmed me enough at your wedding to make me want to accept his proposal." I weaved through the crowded streets, trying to avoid my arm with the soup from getting knocked.

"So maybe you two should move to Naples."

"That's what he suggested too."

"Wait, what? You're not really going to move back to fucking Florida, are you?" I could hear the concern of losing her closest friend in the sound of her voice.

"Not in any future I can see. I love Florida and all, but my home is New York now. I couldn't imagine going back to the slower pace down there. No matter how inviting it seems at the time." I neared my office building.

"Thank God. I was fearing I'd have to drag Becca and move down there too. And you know how much those damn mosquitoes love my ass." She laughed.

I fake swooned. "Awe, you'd get eaten by mosquitoes for me?"

I pushed the revolving doors to the building with my butt and turned it until I was fully inside. I walked briskly over to the elevators and lowered my hand with my phone still in it to press the button.

"So are you and Eric coming over for dinner on Friday still? We need to start working on the wedding seating charts from the RSVPs you've received so far." Sasha sounded like a professional wedding planner then. Which made me even more grateful that I made her my matron-of-honor.

The elevator arrived, and I stepped in. "That's the plan. But will you please request Becca to make a vegan dish that even Eric would eat. Maybe something that tastes like steak."

"Vic, if Becca ever did create a dish that tasted like steak, do you think I'd still be craving bacon?" We laughed together. "But sure, there is a dish that I actually like. I'll have her make it so Eric and I both don't have to sneak in bacon during dinner."

We laughed again. The doors opened to my floor. "Well, I just got back to work. I'll talk to you later."

I disconnected the call and made my way to my old desk outside of Ryan's office. I placed the caddy down and picked up only Ryan's order. I knocked on his door, calmly.