More Than Friends Read online

  MORE THAN FRIENDS

  a romantic short story

  By Beverly Farr

  Copyright 2013 Beverly Farr Giroux

  Smashwords Edition

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical without permission in writing from Beverly Farr Giroux.

  Cover design by James at GoOnWrite.com

  Note: A shorter version of this story was previously published in Five Minute Romances: 12 Super Short Stories

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  MORE THAN FRIENDS

  Carrie shivered as she walked into the dimly lit restaurant, grateful to be out of the cold rain. She looked around for her co-workers from the Accounting department and was surprised to see only Josh, sitting on a long wooden bench in the reception area. “Hi. Have you been waiting long?”

  “Just a few minutes.”

  Carrie nodded. She sat down beside him to wait for the others. On Friday nights, a group of them usually went out to eat – sometimes there were as many as eight or as few as four. They went to different restaurants, trying to keep within a mile or two radius from the office. “Have you eaten here before?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Neither have I.” From the décor, it looked like a basic steak and chicken place with overpriced appetizers. She could hear what sounded like pop dance music in the background, but at least there weren’t large screens showing sports. It was irritating to try to talk to a guy and realize that instead of gazing deeply into your eyes, he was surreptitiously watching a football game over your shoulder.

  She glanced at Josh. She didn’t know him very well. He was new at work. Tall. Quiet. She said, “I think Julie’s got family visiting this weekend.”

  “And Eric had to pick up his truck at the shop. I don’t know what happened to Dave.”

  “Or Lisa.” Lisa was her closest friend at work. They usually brought their lunches and chatted in the break room. She pulled out her phone and gave her a quick text. Where R U?

  A few minutes later, the reply came. Home. Feeling sick.

  She sighed. It made sense. Lisa had been coughing all day.

  “Something wrong?” Josh asked.

  “No,” she said. “But I think it may be just the two of us tonight.”

  Josh smiled. He had a great smile. “Do you mind?”

  “No, of course not,” she said quickly, not wanting to give offense. It might be a little awkward, but she didn’t mind. Besides, it was Friday night, she was tired after a long work week, and she’d been looking forward to spending time with friends and eating something she didn’t cook.

  “Are you ready to be seated?” the front receptionist asked, looking at both of them.

  “Yes,” Carrie said.

  They followed a waiter to a table in a dark corner. Very romantic, Carrie thought wryly, noting the candles flickering on the table. She glanced at Josh to see his reaction, but he was already scanning the menu.

  Carrie looked at her menu. Just as she expected: steak, roast chicken or shrimp, salads, sides, soups, and a dozen high fat appetizers. “Everything looks good,” she said.

  He glanced up briefly. “No sushi?”

  “Would you prefer that?”

  “No, I just noticed that the past two weeks we’ve eaten at Asian restaurants.”

  “That’s Dave’s favorite.” Dave was a big boisterous guy who always had an amusing story to tell.

  Josh nodded but didn’t say anything more.

  Carrie looked back at the menu. She had a feeling that it was going to be a very long evening unless someone started talking. They placed their orders – separate checks – and waited silently.

  Suddenly Josh laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You. Me. Us. Do you want to play twenty questions or I-Spy?”

  Carrie laughed, too, and relaxed, no longer nervous. “I don’t care what we talk about, as long as it isn’t work.”

  Josh leaned forward. “Okay, tell me about yourself. What’s your favorite movie?”

  “New or old?”

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  “I like romantic movies. Comedies or drama, but my favorite is Roman Holiday.”

  “I haven’t seen that.”

  “It’s a classic with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.”

  “She was skinny, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s it about?”

  “A European princess runs away for a few days and winds up in a journalist’s apartment. He’s trying to get a story, but falls in love instead.”

  “And they live happily ever after.”

  “No. At the end, they nobly say good-bye to each other.”

  Josh made a face. “That doesn’t sound romantic.”

  “It is,” she assured him.

  “If you say so.”

  She laughed. “Someday you should see it. It really is good. And funny.”

  Josh looked at her. “So who are you more like – the princess or the journalist?”

  Carrie had never thought of that. “The journalist,” she said finally. At one time she might have been naïve and trusting, eager to explore the world, but life experience that made her more cynical. But that was a downer topic of conversation, so she kept it to herself.

  Fortunately the first course arrived, momentarily distracting them.

  She took a bite of her chicken salad and he tasted his potato soup.

  “What about you?” she asked. “What’s your favorite movie?”

  “Anything with time travel.”

  “Like the girl married to the guy that loops around in his own life?”

  “That was okay,” he said. “But I liked the one with the guy on the train who kept reliving the same eight minutes.”

  “I saw that,” she said, then remembered who she’d been with at the time. She didn’t want to think about Brent. “Do you have a favorite?”

  “Back to the Future.”

  She smiled. “So do you wish you were Marty McFly?”

  “No, I’m more like Dr. Emmett Brown.”

  Christopher Lloyd was wonderful in that role. “You’ll have to change your hair.”

  Josh laughed.

  As they ate, they talked about many things, from where they grew up to how they’d chosen to study Accounting. Carrie sat across the table, wondering why she’d never noticed what beautiful blue eyes Josh had. He was funny, smart, and a good listener.

  It had been a long time since she’d had such a good time.

  Carrie asked Josh if he had special plans for the holidays.

  “I’ll spend it in Fort Worth with my sister and her family.”

  “That’s nice. I think Christmas is always better with little kids.”

  “What about you? Are you going to Ohio?”

  She shook her head. “No. I saw my family in the summer,
and that took up most of my vacation. So I’ll be boring. I’ll just eat with friends and spend the rest of the time at the office.”

  “It’s a good time to get caught up on things.”

  “Yes, without the phones rin—“” She stopped abruptly as she saw someone that looked like Brent across the restaurant. He was with a tall leggy blonde.

  “Are you okay?” Josh asked.

  Carrie blinked and made herself smile. “Sorry. Yes. I thought I saw someone I used to know.”

  “Friend or foe?”

  “Hard to say. A little of both.”

  “Sounds complicated.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you want to leave?” he asked.

  That was nice of him to ask. “No. It’s not that serious. Just socially awkward. I mean, it’s bound to happen eventually – running into someone that you broke up with.” Although technically, he’d broken up with her, and that still stung.

  Josh glanced in Brent’s direction. His eyes narrowed as if he was trying to see him clearly.

  Carrie was glad Josh didn’t ask for any more details.

  She picked at her entrée: grilled chicken with broccoli. She wished she were more gregarious and could think of something funny to say.

  She noticed that there was a video DJ in the room next to theirs, and some people were dancing. She’d rather dance than have to have to avoid staring at Brent and his date while they ate their meal, but she didn’t know what Josh would think if she mentioned it. She didn’t want him to think she was making moves on him.

  He listened for a moment, then said, “That’s one of my favorite songs.”

  That was all the encouragement she needed. “Do you want to dance?”

  Josh smiled. “Sure.”

  The first two songs were fast songs. It was fun to dance, lip sinking to the song, smiling at Josh. Then the DJ chose a slow song. Carrie hesitated, wondering if she should suggest that they go back to their table, but Josh held his arms open wide. He raised his eyebrows inquiringly.

  Why not? Carrie thought. She had a bad habit of over-analyzing everything. Lisa was always telling her she should loosen up and enjoy herself more. Carrie stepped forward. Josh took her right hand and put his other hand at her waist. He held her close, but not too close, and they started to dance, moving slowly to the rhythm.

  He smelled great.

  She took a deep breath.

  It felt strange to be back in a man’s arms again, even if it was just dancing.

  She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling. She felt safe with Josh, comfortable. Maybe it was because he was a naturally calm person. But eventually the song ended. As the music faded away, they both smiled at each other and walked back to the table.

  Josh said quietly, “Your Ex is approaching. What do you want me to do?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Do you want him back?”

  Carrie frowned. “No.”

  “Do you want to make him jealous?”

  “Yes. I mean, no.”

  Josh smiled and quickly slipped his hand around her waist, drawing her closer to his side.

  Carrie startled and might have said something or pulled away, but then Brent was standing in front of her, and it was too late to retreat.

  “Carrie,” he said smoothly. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Hello,” she said coolly. She had dreaded seeing Brent face to face again, but with Josh as moral support by her side, it wasn’t so terrifying.

  She realized with relief that he wasn’t half as handsome as he used to be. When she looked at him now, all she could remember was what a jerk he’d been, always putting her down.

  With amusement she watched Josh and Brent look at each other, sizing each other up like two moose getting ready to butt heads.

  Josh put forth his hand. “I’m Josh,” he said clearly.

  Brent glared at him, and introduced himself as well.

  Carrie smiled. Brent no longer wanted her himself, but she could tell it bothered him to see her happy with someone else. She said, “How are you doing? Work going well?”

  “Yes. And you?”

  “Couldn’t be better.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Liar, liar, pants on fire. “Well, see you around,” she said lightly, and turned to Josh. “Are we ready to go?”

  He smiled broadly. “Sure.”

  Brent walked past their table, but he was probably still watching them. Josh held her coat as she slipped her arms inside her sleeves. “Thanks.”

  She reached to adjust her collar and he leaned toward her. For a split second Carrie thought he might give her a kiss. Her breath caught in her throat.

  His eyes widened with surprise and he pulled back.

  Carrie’s heart gave a little flip. How much was pretend for Brent’s benefit and how much was real? Did Josh want to kiss her?

  She didn’t know what to think.

  Neither of them said anything as they paid for dinner and went out to the parking lot. She was parked on one side of the building; he was parked on the other. They stood for a moment in the cool night air. Carrie put her hands in her coat pockets. Part of her didn’t want the evening to end so soon. “That was fun.”

  “Yes.”

  “And thanks for helping with Brent.”

  “Glad to.” He hesitated as if searching for something to say.

  She waited, hopeful, but then he said, “Good night. See you Monday.”

  All weekend Carrie felt foolish.

  She relived the evening and her conversations with Josh. In many ways it had felt like a first date, but technically it hadn’t been. They were nothing more than co-workers, spending two hours together.

  Josh seemed to like her, but after Brent, she didn’t trust her man decoding skills.

  Sometimes she wished she’d studied Psychology rather than Accounting. Numbers were consistent, people never were.

  She didn’t want to misjudge the situation and make it worse.

  Did Josh think she was flirting with him?

  Probably.

  She groaned. What was she going to do on Monday? There was no way to avoid him completely – not when he worked two cubicles down from hers.

  Monday morning, Carrie came to work early and hid in her cubicle, busy with work. She ran errands instead of joining Lisa for lunch. Miraculously, she was able to avoid bumping into Josh in the hallways.

  Around three o’clock, she heard Eric talking to Josh over the cubicle wall. “So, how was Friday?” he asked.

  Carrie couldn’t hear Josh’s reply, so she scooted her chair closer to her cubicle wall so she could eavesdrop.

  Eric continued, “Just you and Carrie? Oh no. What did you do – sit around staring at each other?”

  Carrie knew she tended to be quiet in crowds, but she hadn’t realized Eric thought she was so boring. But then, not everyone could be the life of the party.

  “No, it was fine,” Josh said.

  Damning with faint praise?

  Eric laughed. “Well, don’t worry. We’ll have more fun this Friday. There’s a new restaurant on Mockingbird –”

  “Count me out,” Josh said clearly.

  “Why?”

  “I’ve got other plans.”

  Carrie felt sick inside. It sounded as if Josh wanted to avoid her, too.

  That evening as she was in the elevator, getting to go home, she saw Josh run up to the doors. She was tempted not to push the “door open” button, but that would be unkind.

  “Thanks,” Josh said as he joined her.

  Carrie looked at her shoes.

  They were both quiet for a minute.

  He said, “I guess you were working hard today. I didn’t see you in the lunch room.”

  Had he been looking for her? But that didn’t make sense, because if he had wanted to talk to her, he could have walked over to her cubicle and say ‘hi.’ It’s not like she was on another floor.

  “I had a great time Friday.”

>   She looked up, stunned. “Really?”

  Josh smiled. “Yes.”

  It gave her hope. “So did I.”

  The elevator doors opened and they both stepped out into the parking garage. Carrie didn’t want their conversation to end. “Do you think it will snow?”

  “Probably not.”

  She mentally searched for something else to say, then blurted out what was foremost on her mind. “If you had such a great time, why did you tell Eric you weren’t coming this Friday?”

  The moment the words were out, she winced. She didn’t want to sound like a nag.

  Josh looked embarrassed. “You heard that?”

  Carrie nodded.

  He shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong. I like going out with the crowd, but it’s not the best way to get to know someone. And if you like someone, it can get weird. Fast.”

  Did he like her? “How so?”

  “Office gossip. Dave making jokes.”

  “You’re right.” Dave was funny, but ruthless. She remembered the things he’d said when Lisa was dating a guy from Marketing.

  Josh continued. “I was hoping we could go out by ourselves again - just the two of us.”

  Carrie’s heart warmed, but she didn’t want to have any misunderstandings this time. “Like a real date?”

  Josh’s blue eyes sparkled. “Absolutely. A one hundred percent real date.”

  Carrie liked his precise answer. “That sounds great, but--.”

  “But what? You’re not still hung up on that guy?”

  “Brent? No. Absolutely not. What I meant to say is ‘that sounds great, but we don’t have to wait until Friday.’ Unless you want to, of course.” She watched his face closely for his reaction. Was she assuming too much? Moving too fast?

  Josh smiled and Carrie knew it was time to stop worrying.

  He said, “That’s an even better idea. Would you like to eat dinner with me?”