Diving In (Open Door Love Story) by Stacey Wallace Benefiel Page B

a table or we’re screwed.”
    Andy shoots me a look of annoyance. “Will you chill the hell out? So we have to wait ten minutes. No big deal.” His phone beeps and he checks it quickly. “Besides, I think Travis told that dude you’re friends with, the one in the wheelchair, to get there early ’cause who’s gonna keep a crippled guy waiting.” Andy shakes his head and grins. “Bet he got sweet parking too, right up front.”
    I nearly stop walking. It was bad enough knowing that Gabe was going to meet up with Travis Chandler at some point over Thanksgiving break, but now I’m going to have to sit at a table with the guy and pretend like I don’t think he’s the scum of the earth? And, oh yeah, while my current boyfriend and the guy I was cheating on him with lay compliments at Travis’s feet?
    This is going to be fucked, to say the least.
    The large front windows of the pizza place are tinted so that everyone inside can see out, but from the outside you can’t really see in. I remember in middle school we used to think it was hilarious to watch all the people check themselves out in the windows before coming in the door. Back when I was friends with Izzy and her dad would make us his special cinnamon sugar pizza crust drizzled in icing with extra on the side for dipping. It’s so weird to think of that now. That I was actually close to her, that we were good friends, neither one of us ending up with many friends as the years wore on, but not coming back to each other either.
    Izzy was in and out of rehab all through high school. Something I could’ve predicted even before that afternoon. We all deal with things differently, I guess. I still don’t have any hard feelings against her, she just brings up things I’d rather not deal with. Especially now that I’m becoming involved with Gabe and we’re almost through the tricky part – what we will look back on and refer to as our difficult times.
    Andy’s phone beeps again as he checks himself out in the window, much to the delight of the people inside, I’m sure, and then opens the door, going in first. He sort of drops it and doesn’t even hold it for me. I don’t need him to be chivalrous, but this isn’t really like him. Something’s up.
    Travis Chandler stands up from a table of guys I vaguely recognize and waves us over. Gabe is sitting next to him. There are two empty chairs across the table that have been saved for us. I catch Gabe’s eye and shake my head slightly, hoping he understands that I didn’t have time to talk to Andy yet and that he’s not just taking things extremely well.
    God, wouldn’t that have been ideal?
    Gabe’s eyes flick to Andy and his eyebrows draw in, like he’s not pleased. Andy makes the rounds, shaking hands and bro-hugging all the guys at the table. I notice Andy’s the only one who’s brought a girlfriend. Probably because he’s the only one who still has one at home … and I technically want to be with the guy sitting across the table from me giving me a frowny face and flipping his blond hair out of his eyes.
    I knew coming to Sunny’s was a mistake. Nothing like being wrapped in a cocoon of guilt and confusion, and oddly, sexual frustration.
    Andy reaches across the table, extending his hand to Gabe. “Don’t get up,” he jokes and I can’t help it, I elbow him in the side.
    “Ha ha,” Gabe says, shaking Andy’s hand. “Haven’t heard that one before.”
    Andy pointedly looks down at their joined hands and cringes. “Quite a grip you got there.”
    “Seriously?” I blurt. “Stop being such a fuckhead.”
    That gets a hearty round of oohs from all the guys at the table, except Gabe, who is glaring at me like he’d kick me underneath the table if he could.
    “C’mon, sweetie, Gabe knows I’m just messing with him. Since when are you so sensitive?” And then, in a stage whisper with his hand to the side of his mouth he says, “Must be the cross dressing brother that’s brought it out