If you haven’t already, you might want to check out Parts I and II of this series before continuing.
Jason spotted Mandy at the coffee counter and sauntered over with his latte. He gave her a gentle bump with his hip as he said, “So. How did rock climbing go?”
“Actually it went really well,” said Mandy, sticking a straw into her frappuccino. “Evelyn was right. It’s a great place and she’s really good. She gave me some great tips. Thanks to her, I made it up this one climb that I never would have been able to top before. We’re going again next weekend. So there.” She stuck her tongue out at Jason.
“OK, OK,” Jason held his hands up, palms out. “I’m not afraid to say I was wrong. It looks like you two are really hitting it off. Should I be worried?” He tilted his head down, but kept his eyes firmly on Mandy.
“Worried about what?”
“Being replaced.”
“What? No. You’re my best friend. You know that.”
“I know. It’s just that sometimes best friends aren’t forever.”
“They are with me.”
Jason smiled at her. “That’s sweet, but I just never know what to expect when Evelyn is in the mix.”
“Why? Is she some sort of best friend home wrecker?”
Jason snorted. “First of all, I love that name. It’s adorable. Second of all, I don’t know, maybe? It just seems like she’s always going from group to group and never seems to keep friends for very long.”
“Maybe that’s just because she travels for work so much. Besides, she told me about a friend she’s had since high school.”
“I know, but in general. It doesn’t seem like she has any problem making friends, just a really hard time hanging onto them.”
Mandy shrugged. “Maybe she’s just had really bad luck with her friends until now.” She gave Jason an exaggerated grin to imply she was one of the good ones.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”
“What’s the matter, Jason? You’re not really jealous, are you?”
“Me? Jealous? I don’t get jealous. I get even.”
“Even with what? What has Evelyn ever done to you?”
“Nothing. Listen. I have to get going. I just wanted to say hi and to let you know that I am very happy for you and your new girlfriend. I wish you many happy years together.”
He disappeared into the crowd, leaving Mandy to puzzle over his strange behavior as she sipped at her frappuccino.
To be continued …