One of the Guys

by Jessica Strassner

“You still not feeling well?” he asked. They both laughed.

  “I had a nice time. Really.”

  “Thanks for coming.” He smiled at her.

  Kate smiled back and wasn’t sure what else to say. When they arrived at her house, she thought about inviting him in, but considering that her parents’ boxes were still all over the place and things were piled up around the house, she decided against it.

  “Let’s hang out again soon,” she said.

  “Sure. You know, you can come play poker whenever you want. I’ve gotten some other guys to play, every once in awhile, too. You know, Miles and Joe? They were at the Super Bowl party.”

  “Maybe sometime,” she said. “Thanks again.”

  Inside, she was greeted by her mother standing in front of the entertainment center, dusting and rearranging picture frames. “How was your date? That was the nice guy from karaoke, right?”

  “It wasn’t a date,” Kate corrected her. “But yes, that was the guy from karaoke. My friend Kevin.”

  “Not a date? Where did you go? What did you do?”

  “We went to his niece’s first birthday party.”

  Her mother raised her eyebrows. “You met his family?”

  “Yeah. So?”

  Her mother just smiled.

  *

  A few weeks later, Kate was hanging out at Lucy’s house for a girls’ night in while Jackson was out celebrating his birthday with the guys. Kate brought two bottles of wine and Lucy provided lots of snacks.

  They started out the evening by discussing wedding plans, but Lucy wanted everything to be so simple, and so much had already been planned, that there really wasn’t much to discuss. They ended up sitting out on the deck and just talking about anything else that came to mind. It had been awhile since they’d spent much time together, so they had some catching up to do. They talked about Lucy’s class at school, and some of Kate’s clients, and Kate’s parents’ reconciliation. Before they knew it, it was after midnight, and Jackson was home from his celebration.

  “Hello, ladies,” he said, bending down in between them and kissing each one on the cheek.

  “You’re home awful early, aren’t you?” Lucy asked.

  “It’s a bitch getting old, huh?” Kate teased.

  Jackson nodded. “Yeah, it is,” he said. He sat down with them and grinned. “Plus Chris had to get to his girlfriend’s house. She kept calling and calling. That boy’s got it bad.”

  “Really?” Kate asked.

  “She’s kind of a snob. None of us like her,” Jackson said.

  “Jackson says she’s a real pain in the ass,” Lucy added.

  Kate shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me. That’s all in the past.”

  “Then why don’t you come play poker anymore?” Jackson asked.

  “I don’t know. Things just got weird.”

  Jackson waved it off. “Whatever. Chris is dating somebody. Max is dating somebody. We’re all still friends. No big deal.”

  “I know,” she said. “I just haven’t felt like it.”

  “You can’t avoid those guys forever,” Jackson said.

  “Have you worked with Chris at all lately?” Lucy asked.

  “Actually, no,” she sighed. “But I do have a wedding coming up with him next weekend.”

  “Seriously, Kate. It’s not that big of a deal,” Jackson said.

  “I know, I know,” Kate said, starting to get annoyed. “It was just stupid, that’s all. I never should have gotten involved with either of them. Things will never be the same.”

  “Things may never be the same, but that doesn’t mean you guys can’t still be friends,” Lucy said.

  Kate folded her arms across her chest.

  Jackson got to his feet. “Just leave Kevin alone,” he said, winking at her. “Three strikes and you’re out.”

  *

  The following weekend, Kate worked on her first wedding with Chris in a long time. He kept popping up out of nowhere to try to engage her in conversation, and she kept coming up with excuses to avoid him. She made it through the entire wedding and reception without really having to talk to him.

  That is, until she made it to her car. “Hey,” Chris said. He was leaning against the trunk. Kate had to fight the urge to groan out loud.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said. She raised her eyebrows at him, opened the car door, and tossed her purse onto the passenger seat. “I mean, we all have. There’s a poker game tonight at Kevin’s. You should come. How come you don’t ever come play cards anymore?”

  “Because things got complicated, that’s all.”

  “Complicated?” Chris repeated. “You mean with me?”

  “Whoever. Whatever.”

  “None of that matters.”

  “It doesn’t matter?” she asked. “Thanks a lot. It mattered to me.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that we’ve been friends for a long time. We should be able to get past this.”

  “Maybe you can, but I can’t,” she said. “I never should have dated you. Or fooled around with Max. Once you go there with a friend, things are never the same. Admit it.”

  “We’re still friends,” he insisted. “Kate, come on. You’re like one of the guys.”

  “Yeah, well maybe I’m tired of being one of the guys,” she said, getting in the car and slamming the door.

  *

  Sitting in her office a few weeks later, Kate was busy typing up proposals and doing research for her newest clients. Every year, usually starting sometime in March or April, she and Julia became swamped with new brides that had gotten engaged on Valentine’s Day. This year was no different.

  “Go home,” Julia said, sticking her head in the door. “It’s late. I don’t want you getting sick again. You work too hard.”

  Kate grinned. “I know, but we’re so busy!”

  “Isn’t it great?” Julia beamed.

  Kate nodded and saved the file she was working on. “Want to get a drink?” she asked. “Maybe some dinner?”

  “I can’t tonight,” Julia said. “Alex has something going on at the school tonight so I’ve got to get home to Allie.”

  “Okay,” Kate said, trying to hide her disappointment.

  “Soon, though. We need another night out. You should ask your mom, too. We can go to karaoke again.”

  Kate giggled. “She’d like that.”

  “I’ll lock up. Don’t stay too long,” Julia said.

  Kate decided that since she didn’t have any plans that evening that she might as well stay late and get all of her research done because it would make the rest of the week easier. Besides, she liked looking through their files of pictures for ideas and trying to find a visual representation of what a bride was looking for. It was times like this when Kate found herself daydreaming about her own wedding.

  Sometimes she thought she’d want something small, simple, and private like Lucy and Jackson’s wedding. No fuss, no muss. Other times, when she was trying to find a rose in the exact same shade as a bridesmaid gown or when she’d come across a picture of a beautifully decorated table, she couldn’t help picturing a huge, romantic wedding.

  Someday.

  For now, she’d have to concentrate on Miss Elizabeth Cutcher’s wedding in November. She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a file folder marked “Autumn.” In it were pictures that she’d torn out of magazines, printed off the Internet, and taken at weddings that she herself had planned. The bride had mentioned that purple was her favorite color, but she wasn’t sure how she could work that color into her autumn colored wedding. No problem. Kate started picking out pictures to show her the next time she came in. Plum colored calla lilies. Bouquets wrapped in eggplant colored ribbon. She even found a picture of a bouquet of peach roses with delicate purple orchids tucked in. If this bride wanted purple, she would get purple.

  She did the same type of research for several more of her new clients, compiling pictures and printouts to help the ladies visual
ize all of the possible combinations of colors, flowers, and styles. When she finished, she was stunned to see that it was almost eight o’clock. It was definitely time to go home.

  Happy that she had gotten so much accomplished, Kate shut down her computer, turned all the lights off in the office, and made sure to double check that the door was locked. She started walking to her car and was surprised to see Kevin walking down the sidewalk towards her, carrying a pizza box. “Hey there!” he said, his face breaking into a wide smile.

  Kate immediately felt bad. It had been a few weeks since she’d seen or spoken to Kevin. This was partly because she’d gotten so busy with work, and partly because she was afraid that maybe she’d given him the wrong impression by hanging out with him. Yeah, it was cute when his mom and sister teased them about going out, but there was no way that could happen. Like Jackson had said, three strikes and you’re out.

  “Hi,” she said. “Dinner?”

  “Yeah. You see, I’m a guy. And I don’t really cook.”

  “I better let you get home so you can eat,” Kate said.

  “Actually, why don’t you join me?” he suggested. “It’s an extra-large. Extra pepperoni. No mushrooms.”

  Kate thought it over for a second. “How can I say no to that?” she asked, stuffing her keys in her purse. She turned around and started walking with Kevin towards his apartment.

  “Why don’t we eat outside?” Kevin asked, unlocking the door and holding it open for Kate to walk inside.

  “Sure. It’s nice out,” she said. Kevin turned on the lights and handed the pizza to Kate. She hadn’t been to his apartment in ages, but it looked exactly the same as she remembered. Poker table in the dining room. Couch with the blanket tossed over the back. Kate dropped her purse on the coffee table. She turned on the light outside and went out on the balcony while Kevin went into the kitchen to get plates, napkins, and drinks. He handed her a can of Coke, opened the pizza box, and offered her the first slice.

  “So how have you been?” Kevin asked. “Busy at work?”

  “Very!” Kate explained the post-Valentine’s Day spike in business to him.

  “Chris said that you guys worked together and that he tried to get you to the poker game last week.”

  “He tried,” she said, leaving it at that.

  They sat at the little table eating off the plates in their laps. Kevin asked how things were going with her parents, and she in turn asked about his family.

  “They’re good. Mom keeps asking when I’m going to bring you over for dinner.”

  Kate giggled. “Tell her I said hi,” she said, hoping to deflect his suggestion.

  When they had polished off half the pizza and neither one of them could eat another bite, Kevin cleaned up and took everything inside. Kate stood up and leaned over the railing. She remembered hanging out with Kevin and Jackson after a poker game once. It seemed so long ago.

  Kevin rejoined her and rested his arms against the railing. “So, when do you want to go to dinner?” She turned to face him, and he could tell by the look on her face that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. “I mean, just casual. Just friends. Mom knows that.”

  Kate chewed the inside of her cheek. “I don’t know. It’s just hard to make any plans because I’m so busy all of a sudden,” she said, knowing that it was a lame excuse.

  “Okay. Well, you’re invited any time. Mom really liked you.”

  This made Kate smile. “My mom likes you, too,” she said. “She calls you ‘the nice guy from karaoke.’”

  It was Kevin’s turn to smile. “We should do karaoke again sometime. Maybe I’ll actually sing for once. ”

  Kate chuckled and looked down at the street below them, but she had the feeling that Kevin continued to smile at her. She looked at her watch. “I really should get going,” she said. She turned to look at him again. “Thanks for dinner.”

  “I’m glad we ran into each other,” he said. “Call me when you’re not so busy with work and maybe we can hang out again.” She nodded. “Want me to walk you back to your car?”

  “No, you don’t have to do that!” she said.

  “It’s no problem.”

  “No, really. It’s okay,” she insisted.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s like two minutes away. Really.”

  Kevin gestured to the door and Kate walked inside. She grabbed her purse off the coffee table. “Remember, poker is still on Saturday. There’s always a seat at the table for you,” he said, following her.

  She smiled over her shoulder at him. “Maybe when I’m not so busy.”

  “Right,” he said, reaching around her and opening the front door.

  Kate said goodnight and headed down the stairs. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse, wanting to call Lucy, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. She was worried that Kevin was starting to get the impression that maybe they should go out on a date. She was also worried that maybe Kevin was just a really nice guy who was becoming a really good friend. She didn’t want to piss him off by brushing him off, but she didn’t want to give him any ideas, either.

  She put her phone back in her purse, deciding to keep her feelings to herself for awhile until she figured things out.

  *

  Telling Kevin that she was busy with work wasn’t just an excuse. Throughout most of April and all of May, Kate found herself working later and later at the office. She and Julia were up to their eyeballs in appointments and weddings, and they were both ecstatic. And exhausted.

  She didn’t have to worry about being stuck at home with her parents because she felt like she was rarely there to see them. Eventually, she wanted to start looking for an apartment, but right now, she just didn’t have the time.

  One of the good things about being so busy was that Kate had completely forgotten about the mess with Max, Chris, and Kevin. She hadn’t seen Max in forever, but she’d heard from Jackson that he was very happy with his girlfriend. She worked with Chris from time to time, but they rarely spoke, and when they did, it was only about business. As for Kevin, they checked in with each other from time to time, but hadn’t spent any time together since dinner at his place.

  Now it was June, and her best friends were getting married.

  Kate sat on the edge of the bed with Lucy’s sister Maggie, now hugely pregnant and due any day now. They watched as Lucy slipped into her prom/wedding dress. Lucy’s friend, Bridget, who had traveled up from Miami for the wedding, zipped up the dress and clapped.

  “I’m so jealous,” Maggie moaned, rubbing her big belly. “I’m basically wearing a tent for a dress and you still fit into a dress that you wore in high school.”

  Lucy smoothed the satin down over her waist and hips and then rushed across the room to give her sister a big hug and a kiss. She, too, rubbed Maggie’s belly. “Any day now, Magpie. You’re almost there. Just please, please, please, wait until after the wedding to have this baby.”

  Kate giggled and went into the bathroom. She grabbed the can of hairspray and a few bobby pins. “Come here,” she ordered. Lucy plopped down on the corner of the bed and allowed Kate and Bridget to tuck a few loose tendrils of hair up into the pile of curls on the back of her head. Kate finished the job with a heavy dose of hairspray. The three girls coughed and giggled and waved their arms to disperse the big cloud.

  The door opened and Mrs. Wheeler stuck her head in. “Girls, Chris would like to take some photos of you all getting ready.”

  Lucy groaned. “Mom, I’m already dressed.”

  “It’s for your album. You need some pictures of you girls before the wedding.”

  Lucy looked at Kate and rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she said.

  “Great,” Maggie groaned, slowly getting to her feet and smoothing her dress over her stomach. “I’m so glad you insisted on us wearing something floral,” she said, indicating the various flowery sundresses all of the girls were wearing. “If I stand next to the window, I’ll blend in w
ith the drapes.”

  “Oh, stop!” Lucy said. “I didn’t pick the dress out. I just said to wear something with flowers on it. You bought it. Besides, you look beautiful. All three of you.” She stood and gave her sister a big hug, being careful around her belly. “Tell Chris he can come in, but he needs to make it quick.”

  The door opened all the way and Chris followed Mrs. Wheeler into the room. She stood aside while Chris posed the women: Lucy and Maggie together, then Lucy, Maggie, and their mother, then some shots of Lucy by herself, and then finally some pictures of Lucy and all of the bridesmaids. “Thanks for your time,” Chris said when he finished. “I’ll be downstairs waiting for you ladies to come down the stairs to take some pictures as you walk out. Then I’ll be moving around during the ceremony. I’ll get some pictures of the girls and guys together right after the ceremony, and then I’ll just circulate around the house during the party afterwards.”

  “Thank you, Chris,” Lucy said. She gave him a hug and daintily kissed him on his cheek.

  “You look beautiful,” he said. “Congratulations.”

  Lucy beamed at him and then turned to face her mother, her sister, and her friends. “Let’s do this!” she said with a smile. Lucy hugged each of them and then wrung her hands nervously. Kate felt a rush of love for her best friend and her eyes brimmed with tears. “Don’t you start!” Lucy warned, squeezing her hand.

  Kate nodded and blinked rapidly, fanning at her eyes.

  “We should head downstairs,” Mrs. Wheeler said. The girls headed out into the loft where they stopped and picked up their bouquets. Mrs. Wheeler descended the stairs first. As Kate bent her head to inhale the fragrance of her gardenia bouquet, a smaller version of Lucy’s, she could hear Canon in D playing outside. She heard it all the time at weddings, but when she looked at Lucy and Maggie squeezing each other’s hands, she felt her eyes starting to fill with tears again. The girls giggled and sniffled, trying not to smudge eyeliner and mascara. Bridget headed down the stairs next, and Kate followed. She smiled at Chris as he snapped pictures, and she paused to give Lucy’s dad a quick hug. Then she headed through the dining room and out onto the deck. The sun was just beginning to set, and the sky was a dazzling rainbow of orange, pink, and purple clouds.