“I don’t think so and I know you can’t do or say or think anything without telling her but can you just please keep this to yourself for now. Just give Whitney a second, man.” I know I’m coming off a little aggressive about it but I can already see Kevin texting Michelle and then her showing up and that is not at all what Whitney needs right now when she’s already overwhelmed.

“I’m not going to tell her, sheesh.” He chuckles before shaking his head and picking up the remote and turning on the television. “I can’t believe she broke up with him. I mean, I guess I can and now that it’s over, I can be less diplomatic. He was the fuckin’ worst.” He leans back and props a foot up on my coffee table and I hate that he’s getting comfortable which means it’s going to be impossible to get rid of him.

My phone vibrates in my hand and I know without looking it’s Whitney. I look down at my phone when Kevin turns his attention to the television.

Whitney: What the fuck

Me: I know.

Whitney: Get rid of him!

Me: How would you like me to do that? Do you want me to tell him?

Whitney: No! I don’t have the energy for that conversation right now. I need you right now, JP I want to be alone with you.

Me: What would you like me to do, baby? Tell me and I’ll do it. But I can’t just kick him out because you and I want to be alone to talk without that raising a hundred questions. Let’s be real, Whitney.

Whitney: Ughhh. I’m coming down in a second. I rang the alarm to Chloe, she should be here soon to run interference.

I don’t respond. I just drop to the chair with a sigh of relief. I was happy that she’d called her, it makes it look a little less odd that she’s here. If Chloe is here, then I just serve as a place for them to talk in peace. Trey doesn’t live far from here so I anticipate Chloe in the next twenty minutes or so.

When I pull my eyes away from my phone, Kevin is eyeing me over his beer and almost thirty years of friendship allows me to read his look easily. The wheels are turning.

“What?” I ask as I reach for one of his beers that I don’t even want and crack it open. I was in the mood for wine or something harder. I know Whitney would have eventually worn me down. I would have had a glass of wine with her and then another and then a whiskey neat and then my dick would have been inside her for the rest of the night.