Fisher grunted a laugh, gazing out in the distance.

“It’s a safer job,” Rory added.

Fisher fired me because he didn’t want to be around me after breaking up with me. It might not have been an actual breakup. We weren’t together in the traditional sense. Still, the breakup, real or not, was thick and suffocating in the air between us.

“It is …” I nodded slowly.

“Have you talked to Brendon lately?” Nice subject change from Rory. Not that I wanted to talk about Brendon in front of Fisher.

“I see him at church. And I saw him last Wednesday night at Bible study.”

“No dates?”

I shook my head. “He’s been busy studying, and I’ve been …” With a half-smile, I lifted a shoulder. “Not thinking much about dating.”

Rose continued to eye Fisher and me. If she couldn’t see the distance between us, the emotional distance between us, then she was blind.

“Well, remember what I said. It’s a good thing to cultivate the friendship first.”

No whirlwind love affairs.

Nothing forbidden.

No passion.

Was that the life I wanted?

I stole a quick glance at Fisher and his slumped shoulders, quiet demeanor, and faraway gaze. It didn’t matter what I wanted.

I was eighteen with stuff to do like … figure out what to do.

“How about you, Fisher?” Rory swiped a glob of frosting from her piece of cake and sucked it off her finger. “Rose said things fizzled out with Tiffany. Any other prospects? Or are you still content with one-night stands and a solid grip on your bachelorhood?”

Was he having one-night stands? After investing so much time in Virgin Therese, he deserved to have a normal sexual encounter that involved … sex.

“I’m going to get some more ice cream.” I grabbed my plate and headed into the house.

“Get it together,” I whispered to myself as I set my plate on the counter and rested my hands on the edge, my head hanging low.

“I thought I could use some more ice cream too.”

My head lifted as Rose shut the door behind her.

Clearing my throat, I smiled. “Yeah. Of course.” Turning, I opened the freezer.

“I think we both know you don’t want more ice cream. And neither do I.”

I closed the freezer door and leaned against it. “If you’re concerned that Fisher and I—”

“You’ve stopped … whatever you were doing.” She climbed onto a barstool. “I can see that. He’s been quite the bore lately. I’ve been making up excuses for him because Rory sees it too. You’ve actually done a better job of hiding it. Good for you.”

Good for me?

I laughed. “Well, it doesn’t feel good.”

“I know.” She gave me a sad smile.