When he looked back I took my hand away. We can’t go there again. That’s done and our friendship is safe.
That’s why no matter how long he stares, I’m not going to look.
He’s still doing it.
Still staring.
I’m not going to look.
It’s not working.
Christ Moses.
Fuck, I looked.
MOSES
September
Yeah, I don’t really know what I’m doing anymore. I’m in love with my best friend and it’s all very useless because I’ve been demoted back to friend zone.
Her semester in Arts & Hope School are about to start and she’s busier than before. I’m picking up more shifts and the staff we had has grown to six like dad wanted. Now he hardly comes in but once a week and Chloe and I run it.
Now I’m coming to her apartment to pick her up. We traditionally go to a pumpkin patch not far from my house. She came bounding down the stairs of her apartment building and I smiled.
“Am I on time?” She asked as she hopped in my car, “we’ll catch the hayride, right? I hope they have that apple pie and cider thingy again.”
She’s so hot. Even when she’s not trying. She’s got on this white crop top with jean shorts and black nylons underneath. I don’t know why they make her legs hotter than they already are. All this with an oversized black blazer and short boots.
“Before we take off, I have something for you. I was coming up but you beat me.” I said.
“What is it?”
I took the small bouquet of red roses off the back seat. They were wrapped in brown paper and mixed in with sprigs of eucalyptus. Her eyes lit up like sparks and she set them in her lap gingerly. “Moses…” she carefully touched one of the petals. “They’re beautiful. I’ve never been given roses before. What’s the occasion?”
“Uh, school,” I said as rehearsed. “Just something to launch the beginning of classes.”
She brought them to her nose and the red of the blooms reflected on her skin. It made kissing her seem okay in my head for a solid minute.
“Thank you,” she touched my arm, “this is really special. I’ll run them upstairs.”
“Wait…” I took a small leather pouch from the dashboard and handed it to her.
She looked at me like she was reading for signs but opened it anyway. She held up the bracelet from inside like it was too precious to touch, “what-?”
“It’s an Amazonite one. It’s…well the stone emanates success, focus, good luck, and with school I thought…”
She manipulated the roses to lean over and hug me. Mistake! My whole body knows this is Chloe and that scent, that warmth, that voice, it’s all reminding me of what we had, and what I let go.
She finally sat back and put it on. “I love it, Moses, it’s amazing. I can feel all the things you said.” She looked it over on her wrist then laughed and kissed my cheek before getting out. “I’ll put the roses is water. Be right back.” On the outside of the door, she leaned to speak to me through the window. “You’re an amazing friend Moses, I can’t believe you thought of me like this.”
Annnnnnnnnd Zoned.
Chapter Thirty-Five
CHLOE
October
Moses and I showed up to open the bookstore at ten in the morning and I was careful not to look at him too long or touch him on my way in when he held the door open.
I know what he’s up to. He wants us to start the sex thing again. He’s been acting weird since we stopped. It started that night on his floor. He’s trying to work me up with his flowers, his little gifts, his touches. I’m not stupid but it’s not going to work.
The sex made us complicated and the relationship thing is way off the table. We can’t risk what we have. So he needs to stop trying.
“You look nice.” He said as he got the display tables from the back room.
I’m in a beige long sleeve shirt tucked into a flared maroon mini skirt and black nylons with slim heels. I have no pole classes this week since I’m doing week on, week off for school’s sake so I can add more individuality to my style.
“Thanks,” I set my tote bag on the counter, “but you know what today is….” I sang.
He rolled his eyes. “Halloween.”
I jumped in my heels, “I’m so excited! The store looks spooky and….” I pulled a giant bag of mixed candy. “This shopping center gets trick or treaters!!!”
He laughed at me, “I’m not sure if I’m partnered with an adult or a kid.”
“Today good Sir,” I pulled a pair of cat ears attached to a black headband, “you have both,” I said setting them on my head.
He brought out the sale books for set up. “You and Jenzy did make the store look awesome. I already see how you make a great partner.”
I beamed. Yes Jenzy and I decorated and well. With webbing, skeletons, carved pumpkins, ghosts and outside along the building front are fake headstones. I went to the door and poured candy into the bowl holder we bought. It has a censored hand that grabs you if you get close and laughs.
Brianna came to pitch in too since we both idolize this holiday. There’s webs across the top of all the bookshelves; connecting them.
There’s real jack o’ lanterns in every corner and Jenzy put out some homemade treats. We threw out the healthy ones because Moses’ dad nearly broke a tooth on the cookies but the traditional, unhealthy ones were great!
I helped Moses set up then disappeared for a minute to finish my costume. I had a long black cat tail to pin to the back of my skirt and I lengthened my winged eyeliner. I put my friend charm on a collar so it looked like a license and I fingered my curled hair so it appeared a bit less tame and more frizzy.
I came back out and dug through my bag, “you need a costume.”
He brought a big box of mood candles to the counter next to me, “I’m in costume right now. I’m a bookstore owner.”
“Come on,” I pulled a pair of dog ears. “It’s fun!”
He slanted me a look, “Chloe…”
I looked him over in his tight maroon t-shirt with the Tibetan symbol for Peace on it. He also had on khakis so we sort of matched. He also had our charm on and his usual prayer beads on his wrist. I can see the definition in his chest and stomach through the shirt and his scorpion tattoo is drawing attention to the popping veins in his forearm. His hands are big and he has long fingers…
Ugh! Stop! Fuck, it’s been way too long. I haven’t had sex since we were together and that was…six months ago? Is that right?
I’ve also been avoiding him. If he wants to come over I invite Brianna or force him to go out to eat so we aren’t home alone. I try to keep us out of situations that leave us alone and I continue to use the word friend as a reminder and a put off.
He tugged my hair as I was putting the stuff back in my bag. “Give it.” He held his hand out. “I’ll wear the stupid dog ears. You’re pouting.”
I smiled and handed them over along with a pin on tail like mine.
I went to open the doors, “tonight is inventory right?”
He nodded and checked the register. “Yeah, we should have Cody, Marsha, Paul and Dean. They all said they could come tonight and count this mess. We should be out of here by…” he counted in his head then. “We close at eight so…maybe midnight.”
I turned the closed sign to open and smiled, “long day but we leave at four and come back at eight right?”
He nodded as he turned on the lamps. We worked together fine and with so many customers filing in, the tension is gone and preoccupied.
We played a monster Halloween mash of songs and the kid’s section was full, with kids dressed up. I hurried over to Moses while he was laying out new Crystals and came close to whisper. “What if we have a reading?”
He looked back, “for what?”
“Kid’s books. Like spooky Halloween ones.”
“We don’t have time, it’s almost four.”
I looked bac
k at all the kids and parents, “Goliath has a costume! What if I bring him in and stay to read? Can I do that? Sales are down by like fifteen percent, this would help.”
He looked over at the kid’s section, “you won’t get a break Chloe. That’s an over ten hour shift.”
“Moses, come on! Look how cute they are. They’ll love this! If you make a quick sign that there’re readings and then post it on the store’s Facebook page, more will come.”
He narrowed his eyes in thought, “I can’t ask you to do that. I appreciate it, but you’d be reading a lot of books and-.”
“I don’t mind, please? Please? I’ll pout.”
He laughed, “you’re part owner of this store too. I’m not your boss. If you want to then go for it.”
“But are you okay with it?”
“It would be a major help…yeah as long as you aren’t overdoing it.”
I bolted for the door because Goliath will add to the awesome. I rushed home in my jeep and picked up my boy. I decked him out as Superman with a bright yellow cape, a super S breastplate and fabric cuffs on his wrists and ankles.
The moment I brought him in the store the kids freaked out. I brought treats for him too. Once parents were assured how friendly Goliath was they were ecstatic.
Moses rushed me on my way to the kid’s corner, “Chloe, I put it up on Facebook and drew up a sign on our chalkboard on the curb and like a ton of people ran me over at the door before you got here. The parents are shopping the fuck out of everything and Dean can’t keep kid’s books out, it’s already working.”
He was talking a mile a minute. “How much coffee did you have while I was gone?”
“I don’t know, but my heart hurts when it beats, my hands are shaking and I see sounds.”
I laughed, “Moses you don’t drink coffee, so I hope you didn’t put espressos in it…?”
“The lady at the coffee shop said it would help. You look nice today. Do we have enough bags? What time is it? Are you ready to read? I think we need more books put out. When the hell is Paul coming in?”
I laughed and hugged him, “calm down speedy, we got this. No more coffee okay?”
I went and got settled in the kid’s corner and read Halloween themed books. The kids were awesome! Well behaved, interactive, funny… They gave Goliath treats and one or two sat on my lap. The little ones loved my cat costume as discrete as it was and parents shopped harder knowing their kids were occupied.
From about 4:15 to 6:30 I read and took breaks in between. There was a single dad that asked for my number but I passed. He seemed nice enough but I’m not dating men to distract me from Moses anymore. It’s not fair to them or me. I’d rather wait till all feelings for Moses are gone.
Five minutes from closing Moses went missing. Dean and Paul grabbed my arms while I was getting ready to put up the closed sign. “What’s going on?”
Dean laughed, “you have to see the boss. You’ll freak.”
I frowned, “where is he? Did you find him?”
Paul rushed us into the back, “oh we found him alright.”
I had to step over a castle of boxes but then I almost laughed so hard a snort threatened. Moses was asleep in a rolling chair, sprawled like a dead man since the caffeine high had dropped into a coma state. He usually uses teas to get alert but today I think he was overwhelmed.
Best part was Dean and Paul had drawn on his face. He now had whiskers, a black nose, and ‘woof’ written across his forehead in black marker, which worked with the ears I made him wear and the tail.
“Um,” I giggled too hard, “you guys better hide.”
Dean went a little serious, “actually Ms. Chloe we kinda need to go.”
“What?” All laughs gone.
Paul winced, “yeah, we forgot this term paper was due….”
I bugged my eyes, “guys tonight is inventory, and as you can see Moses was up all last night getting ready and now he’s worked a double, you can’t leave.”
Dean pretended to hide behind his buddy, “but on the upside Ms. Chloe, the others are coming in to help so you won’t really miss us.”
I debated what to do, I don’t even know if I have the authority to tell them no. They promised to keep their cells on if I let them leave so Moses could call them back if needed.
I guess I did right.
I went over to Moses when they left and the store was closed, “hey,” I bent by his chair and tapped my finger against his nose. “Moses?”
He jolted awake and books that were in his lap with a pricing gun fell everywhere. “Oh shit!” He rubbed his eyes, “what time is it?”
“We just closed. You’re okay.”
“Ugh no, I feel like I was hit by a semi-truck.” I laughed because his expressions with the markings was hilarious. “What?” he frowned making it worse. “Chloe. What? Why are you-?” he got up and went to the bathroom to see. “What the fuck?!” I heard which launched me into giggles.
He got it washed off since it was washable, thank God. He tossed the dog ears and tail, I tossed my costume too. Then we started getting ready for inventory when the first call came.
Marsha couldn’t come because she had a sudden cold that conveniently happened an hour before her friend’s costume party.
Cody was stuck in traffic and very sure he wouldn’t make it in time.
Dean’s phone that he promised to keep on was off.
And Paul was writing his ‘term-paper’ with his girlfriend making out at the same time.
“Sorry,” I said as Moses hung up. “I shouldn’t have let them leave.”
He shook his head. “Nah, they’re college kids. It’s Halloween. Honestly I don’t care because, look.” He waved me over to the computer. “We’re up by five hundred dollars from last year. Chloe that’s insane. That was great thinking.”
His praise did much for my ego and his excitement about sales made me happy. However, this also means there’s no help coming which means… “So I guess it’s just you and me tonight.” He said as it hit us both.
I felt a tingle in my lady parts and swallowed. Gotta stay strong. “So much for midnight…” I laughed. “We’ll be here till dawn.”
He groaned, “I’m sorry. I can do the last half by myself. I know what to do so you can leave in like an hour and a half.”
I shoved his shoulder, “I’m not leaving you with all this. Stop it. We rock it out together.”
He smiled and I could see the appreciation on his face. “I’ll order us a pizza.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
A good three hours later it was passing eleven at night and we lost much of our steam. We look like the walking dead.
“So….” He started. He was on the other side of the store from me as we wrote down numbers, “I heard you got a number today.”
I shrugged, “just a dad. He had a cute kid.”
He looked back at me and I felt his eyes on my short skirt. “Gonna go out with him?”
I shook my head, “no, I’m done for a while. No guys.”
“Girls then?”
I laughed, “no, nosey.”
He was quiet then. “Saw this weird thing in a book we have here about…spiritual sex.” He started and just the word made me feel hot. “It said that, if you go too long without it, your soul starts to feel like…detached.”
I rolled my eyes since he couldn’t see. That’s the most transparent hippie come on I’ve heard. “Then your soul must be like…in Florida.”
He laughed and it made things light until, “mine would be pretty detached yeah…what about you?”
I looked back at him in silence until he chanced looking back, “I know what you’re up to. Nice try slick.”
“I’m just asking how far your soul might be depending on how long it’s been.”
“It’s been as long for me as you.” He smiled and went back to work. So I had to add a dig, “I shouldn’t feel weird talking to you about it. You’re an amazing friend.”
Oh, I could fe
el the earthquake that was Moses. His neck bristled whenever I used that word.
But then he spun it on me, “You should never feel weird talking to me. About anything. Now that we’ve had sex that’s just another topic we can explore.” I felt my fingertips go zippy as he went on, “you could even…ask me stuff. Since we’re just friends again. I never liked talking about it with you but now…”
I pursed my lips. Maybe I did have questions. “Okay…hmm…what do men think…about lingerie?”
He grinned, “well, we’re all different so I can’t speak for all of us.”
“Do you like it?” Is this a wise conversation? Why do I feel like I was baited? He went off my weakness, which was curiosity but this conversation was making the work go faster.
“In my opinion women don’t need it. It’s only on for like five seconds but it does make you guys bold and less insecure so that’s a plus. It can be hot so yeah. I guess. But I prefer naked.”
My whole body hummed, “what about blow jobs? What’s the fascination?”
He crossed the store to type in numbers so he was closer. “Well, it’s a trust factor for one. We’re pretty much putting our penis in a death trap if things go awry.”
I laughed out loud. “Come on.”
“I don’t know. It’s the feeling. It’s warm and wet. That’s pretty much the goal. Our mind goes blank. It’s all just naughty and fun.”
I shrugged, “and for women? Like do you guys hate it?”
“Giving it?” He stopped to look at me and I gave a nod. He smiled and his eyes dropped to my skirt hem. Was he thinking about it? “Again, I can’t speak for all of us, but for me its…one of the best parts.” He went back to typing.
He knows I’m gonna ask. “How come?”
“We feel pretty accomplished if we make you so out of your mind, screaming our name and pulling your hair out. The whole challenge is getting you there so to watch it is the best.” He looked back at the screen. “Not to mention a woman’s body is like…everything good in the world. I’m the granola breath type so this is where I split from popular guy mentality.”
The Friend Zone (The Relationship Quo Series Book 2) Page 30