Have you met Alex: friends to lovers romance

by Kenna Shaw Reed

  I wanted to respond. But with what?

  To admit what I’d done with Alex to my brother; gross. To admit what I’d felt for Alex to anyone; total humiliation.

  He’d left before I woke up.

  Yesterday, he came back with coffee and meat pies for breakfast. A little random but sweet.

  Today, I waited until mid-morning. Until I realized that he was sending me a message in the kindest way possible.

  It had been fun.

  It had been exactly what we’d both needed. Blow out the cobwebs from our dating and love life disasters.

  It was over. See you back home on the football field.

  I think I’ll take up lawn bowls.

  Alex

  Calling or sending her a text wouldn’t cut it. Too easy for her to ignore or block. I was going to track down Simone through her family.

  No pressure.

  Somehow, I’d summon up the nerve to storm up to their front door, and politely ask that they allow me to see her. Simone could either hear me out here, on her home turf, or avoid me until touch football started up again.

  I’d fucked up. Leaving without a word. Not a message and not a gentle reminder that I’d be back after the surf.

  Given our dating histories with other people, we were both gun shy about trusting someone else. Being vulnerable and allowing ourselves to feel.

  I got it. Which was why I’d spent almost three hours sitting on my board, hiding from the world. Hiding from her.

  Shit.

  If there were awards, I’d win the prize for the biggest tool alive. Now, I had to make it right. There was no way I was going home without Simone as my girlfriend, partner or at least convinced to give us another chance.

  Problem was, to impress her family, I needed to bring my A game. None of the clothes I’d packed were suitable for impressing a family who’d likely be protective of their daughter and sister; let alone convincing Simone that last night didn’t need to be our only.

  Going into town, my indecision tested the patience of three shop assistants before I found a fresh white shirt that gave my capri shorts a new lease on life.

  Clothes might maketh the man, but I needed more. A real wow factor that would keep her parents talking about me even after Simone kicked my ass to the kerb.

  “Can I help you?” The middle-aged florist caught me in two minds whether to get Simone something or just turn up. Then again, what woman turned away a man holding flowers?

  “I need all the help you can give.” I joked, grateful that at least now I looked presentable enough to help. Turning on my highest voltage smile, “I’m trying to win over the heart of a girl, and also her family.”

  “That’s a tall order,” the older woman laughed. “What does she like?”

  “Who—the girl or her mother?”

  “Let’s start with the girl, what does she like?”

  I bit back a dictionary of expletives, foundering. What did I actually know about Simone other than she played touch football, used to jog because her boyfriend did, didn’t eat breakfast but would eat almost anything else. I knew enough but wanted to know more. Nothing that could help select a stupid bunch of flowers.

  I decided to go with why she’d come home and build from there. “She had her heartbroken by another guy twelve months ago, but I’m hoping that she’s ready to look towards the future with me.”

  “Oh.” The woman’s face darkened slightly under the professional smile.

  “It wasn’t me,” I quickly explained, holding enough guilt and not needing to be burdened with her ex. “I’m trying to cross the friends-zone. I think she’s interested, but I think we had a misunderstanding. Step one, find her and then I can focus on winning her over, with flowers.”

  “What were you thinking of?” The florist had turned from warm and helpful to disinterested. I didn’t know what part of me wanting to spend money in her shop had changed her attitude. Quite frankly, I didn’t have the time or inclination to care. Flowers or a small gift was a great idea and either I’d get something here or find another shop willing to do damage to my credit card.

  The florist’s eyes bored into my back, following my every step as I wandered around the small shop, coming back a third time to the same spot. Did she think I was a shoplifter?

  Flowers would make a statement, but there was a different gift that would make an everlasting impact. If I had the guts to give it to her.

  Yes.

  No.

  Yes. Just do it.

  “I’ll take this.” I picked out a scruffy stuffed bear, so ugly it had to be adorable. Giving it a quick squeeze, it was softer than it looked but as ugly as sin. Perfectly imperfect.

  “Are you sure this is what will win her over?” the woman asked, taking it from me by the pale brown ears. The woman might as well have grabbed it with tongs for all her enthusiasm. Did she want to make a sale, or not? “I mean, if you want a stuffed bear, then there are toy shops in the shopping centre that would sell much nicer looking ones but you might need to pay what they’re worth.”

  Her snarly expression indicated what she thought of my cheap-skate nature. Yeah, lady, I’d been the one offering to upscale from cozy tent for two, to a hotel bed last night. I’d bought breakfast, lunch, dinner and even a blanket to keep Simone warm. It wasn’t about the money, it was about finding the perfect fucking gift. Without coping an earful of attitude on the side from snooty shop-keepers.

  Still, I felt the need to explain.

  “You don’t understand, she calls her brother Teddy Bear and he hates it. If I give her a bear called Teddy Bear, hopefully it will at least win her brother over.”

  “I see.” At least now the bear was cradled in the woman’s arms. “How will she know what to call it.”

  “I’m sure a store in the shopping centre would sell vanity pins or bracelets with common names. If I can find one with ‘Ed’ or ‘Ted’, then it will go with the embroidered ‘Bear’ on his paw.”

  The more I thought about it, the better the idea felt, “Look, I don’t want to scare her off, but at least she’ll always remember me.”

  “I’m sure she will, I didn’t catch your name.” Finally the florist seemed to approve of me, or at least my idea, as she held out her hand, “I’m Ann, and I hope we can win back your girl.”

  “She was never mine to win back, but I’m working on it. Alex. Alex MacFarlane.”

  “So, Alex MacFarlane, what makes you think she wants to be won?”

  “Fate, luck and hope.”

  It was easy explaining to a stranger how Simone and I knew each other; why I’d needed to leave town, and how the last person I expected to meet in a Wollongong pub was the only woman I had a slight crush on through my fucked up wallow. Out of respect for Simone, who used to live here, I glossed over our horizontal connections. The more I talked, the more I wanted to smash my own head into a concrete wall for not having the guts to stick around this morning.

  “Sounds like the two of you hit it off.”

  I nodded, looking around for something, anything additional to put with the bear. “There’s something about her that I need more of. Not just physical, even though she’s bloody gorgeous.” Okay, this time I couldn’t hide the blush. It seemed the less I wanted to say, the more my body wanted to say it for me. I was falling for this girl and there wasn’t a sane thought in my head to stop me. “It’s like we went from friends to potentially something more but when I turned around, she was gone.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Yeah, well now I feel like she’s playing Cinderella on me. At least I have her number and her parents’ address so I figure my only move is to turn up showering gifts. Either she thinks we’re worth a chance or she doesn’t. Either way, we get it sorted before both of us go back home and things get awkward.”

  “What if she’s not interested?”

  At least I’d had time to think about the worst case. I shrugged off a slight eye-roll, “I’ve learnt that you can’t force lo
ve. I hope she felt the connection, but if she didn’t then we go back to being friends and either it happens later, or it doesn’t.”

  “What makes you think the two of you will work?”

  “Here.” I changed the subject. “What do you think of these?” I selected an arrangement of deep burgundy snapdragons and white carnations from one of the display barrels. Yes, I needed to get some of the thoughts out of my head, but now was the time for action. I needed to grab the gifts and find Simone before she decided to skip town; either because of me or from me.

  “They’re lovely and a little old fashioned, but you’ve already gotten her the bear.”

  “No, these are for her mother. After how the fiancé broke up by text, I figure her mother is going to be even more protective than Eddie.”

  “Still, you don’t even know her.”

  “I’m about to turn up unannounced to ask her daughter out on a date, are you a mother?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “I want her family to at least give me a chance. I know that the next woman I take home to my mother is going to get one hell of a time because she’ll never want to see me get my heart crushed again. I figure, Simone’s family will be the same.”

  “Why did she end it, I mean you seem like a nice enough person? Why did your ex give you the boot?”

  Ouch. Harsh. The truth would shut the woman up and I waited for her reaction, and apology or six. “I wanted marriage, babies and to settle down and enjoy life. That wasn’t good enough for her and she moved to Sydney for university and then moved on with someone else. He made her promises of worldly possessions and travel that I’m not interested in. She’s happy and I’m looking for the same.”

  “So the flowers are for this Simone and her mother?”

  “Yes, what do you think? Do you think she’ll give me a chance?”

  Instead of answering me and trying to close the sale, Ann fiddled with her phone, giving me time to wander around the shop some more. Yep, I’d made the right decision. Now to get out of here and track down a couple of other things, including a name plate for Teddy Bear.

  “Sorry, about that, I needed to check on something. Where were we?” Ann’s smile now had the warmth of everyone’s favorite grandmother. Amazing how the opportunity of helping romance could bring out the best in people.

  “This bouquet, do you think her mother will like it?” I needed external validation. After all, I couldn’t trust myself with matters of the heart. Not after this morning. No more trusting my own instincts.

  “I’m sure she will, but I’d like to freshen it up a little. How about you go and get the bracelet while I get it ready. Come back in half an hour and I might even have some spare roses for you to give this Simone. After all you’ve both been through, I need to encourage this romance!”

  Women. I’d never understand them. First, this woman was all about the sale, then gave me a world of grief. Now, for no reason, she couldn’t help me enough. Whatever, I didn’t care about her intentions. I just wanted to get the gifts, go and find Simone. Still, the idea of the bracelet couldn’t be ignored. If nothing else, Eddie would have every excuse to insist on his name change and at least someone in Simone’s family would remember me fondly.

  Half an hour later, I was the proud owner of a cheap vanity bracelet and box of chocolate-covered ginger. If Simone didn’t want them, then I’d have a party for one back at my campsite before heading out of town. These two days had been everything I’d left town looking for. If Simone wasn’t going to give me the time of day, I might as well find another town with better surf before heading home.

  I kept looking at her number now programmed into my phone. How on earth was I supposed to start the conversation?

  “Hi, it’s Alex … why’d you leave?” Nah, too needy.

  “Hi, didn’t think last night was that bad?” Even worse.

  “What does a guy have to do to get a second date?” What if she thought I couldn’t count? For me, the two days were a single date but if she was pissed off enough to leave the campsite, then she might get equally stroppy about counting dates.

  By the time I parked outside the florist shop again, I’d almost decided to pay for the stuff, drop it off at Simone’s house and then do a runner. After all, maybe our relationship was all in my mind, she’d changed hers and it was time to pull my big girl panties up and get a grip on reality.

  The doorbell chimed again, announcing my arrival to an empty shop. How on earth did these small stores stay in business without a steady clientele? Another question for another day. Right now, I couldn’t answer my own questions about how to make a simple bloody phone call, let along the greater meaning of life.

  Ann was full of smiles when I approached the desk. The bouquet I’d picked for Simone’s mother was beautifully presented in a glass vase. More than I expected, but again, whatever. I needed all the help I could get.

  “Thanks for all your trouble,” I began, reaching for my wallet.

  “Darling, this is the young man I was telling you about,” Ann’s smile grew as the gorgeous brunette came out from the cool room.

  “Alex!”

  “Simone? What? How—” I looked to Ann and then back to Simone for answers. What the fuck was going on?

  “Darling, do you mind looking after the shop for me, I need to go out for a while.”

  “Mum?”

  If this was a set-up, Simone had nothing to do with it.

  “This young man is determined to win over a particular young lady, perhaps you might like to help him with his purchase. I need to go and see if the butcher can get me another couple of steaks. I think I’ll be setting an extra plate or two for dinner.”

  Before I could react, Simone’s mother had left us alone in the shop, turning the sign as she made a point of locking us inside.

  “How did you end up in my mother’s shop?” Simone stood on the other side of the large wooden table with rolls of ribbon and pins used to complete the arrangements. I couldn’t reach her, couldn’t touch her.

  Couldn’t make her feel how much my heart beat for her.

  “Why’d you leave?” Might as well hear her side of it first, give me something to work with. If she told me why, then I could convince her how wrong she was, how much there was to stay for.

  “I asked you first. How do you know my mother and what the hell are you doing in her shop?”

  “Why’d you leave?” I took two steps to the side, working my way around, but Simone matched me step by step, keeping me at bay.

  “Why are you here?” Her eyes flashed. Hurt? Disappointment? Fear? I could match each of her fucked up feelings and raise them. The whole point of being in a relationship was to open up to another person, let them in and rearrange your emotional furniture. Maybe our future didn’t need explanations on why she left, but how we moved on from here.

  “I came looking for a gift for you.” As much as I wanted to chase her down, grab her in my arms until she admitted these last two nights were not an illusion, I allowed her to keep the barrels of floral arrangements between us. I needed her to feel safe. Unthreatened by anything other than how she felt about me, about us.

  “You left. I woke up and you were gone.” I heard the unshed tears in her voice and could slam the glass vases over my head for hurting her.

  “I went for a surf, I didn’t have your number or paper to leave you a message or anything, but when I got back you were gone.” When I said the words aloud they seemed selfish and self-indulgent. I should have tried harder, woken her. Done something other than sneak away to clear my head.

  “I thought you had decided—” she stroked the green foliage from an arrangement. “Damn you, I don’t know what I thought.”

  We needed a circuit breaker, and her mother had left the unadorned bear sitting on the desk.

  “Can you help me with the bear?”

  “That scruffy thing?” she asked, almost insulted.

  “I’ll have you know, he has a name!” I handed h
er the bracelet and held back the fur around the bear’s neck so she could fasten it. “Ted E Bear.”

  “Why?”

  To hell with waiting for Simone to come to either me or her senses. She’d had her chance to walk away the minute I came into the shop. She could have either stormed out with her mother, or sent me packing. My beautiful princess wanted an excuse to forgive me.

  “The way I see it, when you go back home you have two choices,” Simone had already accepted the bear, now I tentatively reached for her hips. Gently pulling her around the side of the table until we stood chest to chest.

  “What would that be?” Simone asked softly. Instead of immediately answering, I blew kisses around her neck until the moans that filled our tent now filled her mother’s shop. Damn it, she’d already driven me mad with worry and desire, now it was my turn to inflame all her emotions.

  Erase all sensible thoughts of why we wouldn’t and couldn’t work, only that we did.

  “A woman like you shouldn’t ever sleep alone.”

  “Really? So, what are my choices?”

  “The bear or me.”

  “The bear doesn’t snore and probably doesn’t steal the doona.” At least she let my lips find hers. “I’m pretty sure the bear won’t leave me for the surf.”

  “I promise, I’ll do things to you that would make the bear blush.”

  “So, I guess you won my brother over Friday night and my mother this morning.”

  “What will it take to win you over?” I held her close, feeling her heart beat in time with mine.

  “Kiss me like you mean it.”

  So I did.

  THE END

  I’m so glad you finished Have you met … Alex

  While you’re here, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads or both! Many thanks, Kenna.

  Wait, there is more…

  Who is Kenna Shaw Reed?

  Christmas is a special time. It was in church the year before I met my husband that I prayed to find the future father of my children—someone who would be my best friend and lover. Now, I’ve been married to the love of my life for more years than we can count. Together we are surviving three teenagers, two dogs, a cat and a bird. I wish I could say he was my first love, but there were a few false starts before he swept me off my feet.