Page 10 of Anyone But Me
“And what do I need to do once I get a cool girl? How do I keep her?” Jax stared at me like a student waiting for the answers to a test.
I thought about how to answer. There was so much to relationships, I didn’t know where to start.
They required work, and I had to assume that work became even harder when it was an adult relationship.
“Being in a relationship is about having a teammate in life. It’s about being vulnerable, getting through the big and small moments together.
Dating and grand romantic gestures are important, but even more important are the little things—random acts of kindness, being so comfortable with each other that you can sit in silence doing nothing at all, taking big steps together that might seem small to other people, like meeting each other’s families. ”
Jax looked toward the ceiling and moved her lips as if she was rehashing to herself what I had just said to her. She then moved her eyes down to her paper and wrote like crazy. After a few minutes, she proudly held the paper toward me so I could read what she added.
4. Practice being vulnerable
5. Practice random acts of kindness to get ideas for my future hot ass girlfriend
6. Sit in silence?
7. Dates?
8. Mock meeting of parental units
I chuckled when I read through the list. “Maybe instead of sitting in silence, we could spend a few hours sitting next to each other and reading. I always felt that true comfort is to be able to sit with someone else and both quietly read.” I also can’t believe I just said that out loud.
“That’s beautiful,” Jax said, her words so soft I could tell she actually meant them. “I’m definitely changing it to that. Sounds like a great time. Maybe we could fulfill that one the same time we do your relaxing weekend.”
“Works for me.” The thought of sitting next to Jax reading actually made me more excited for my unproductive weekend.
How was I already so comfortable with her that something like that sounded so enjoyable?
We’d only been roommates for a week. Before that, I would have said Jax put me on edge.
One week and she’s already a calming presence for me? How strange.
I shook these thoughts from my head. Overthinking was something the old Carter would have done.
No need to harp on things that didn’t really matter.
“Now for number seven. We could add things that would be good practice for future dates, like…” As I tried to think of ideas, a notification popped up on my phone for the meal delivery service Jax and I had signed up for the other day.
Perfect. “Cooking! You can cook some meals with me. It’ll be good practice in case you ever want to do it for that future hot ass girlfriend of yours. ”
“Plus a great roomie bonding experience,” Jax said with a wink.
That damn wink.
“What are some other cute date ideas? I need to know how to really impress a woman.”
I was pretty sure Jax could impress a woman with her looks alone, and her personality only added to her allure.
I wasn’t going to say that, though, because I didn’t want to open the door to more flirting.
“I always kind of wished someone would take me on a picnic.” I shrugged.
“Might be lame, but I always thought it seemed super romantic.”
“I’ll take you on a picnic,” Jax said quickly, her voice going up an octave with the words. “You know, for practice,” she added with a more subdued tone.
Looking over the list, it seemed Jax was going to be doing more practicing than actual dating. “What do you mean by ‘ mock meeting of parental units’ exactly?”
“I’ll have someone who’s never met them, like you…
” Jax cut herself off and stared at me, softly chewing on her bottom lip as if she was suddenly nervous.
“Or someone else. Just someone who hasn’t met them.
I’ll have them come home with me and hang out.
Obviously, I’m not going to pretend that we’re dating for my parents or anything, but I can kind of feel out what it’s like. Have you ever been skiing?”
I could barely keep up with Jax’s rambling, but I did catch the skiing part. “No. I’m so clumsy, I think I might die.”
“I’m from Vermont and the skiing is great. If you decide to be my person for my mock parent meeting, I could teach you. I promise I won’t let you die.”
“Let’s see if you still want to take me by ski season.
Who knows. By then you might be able to take your actual girlfriend.
” I figured that would end up being the case.
If Jax even put the littlest effort into dating, she could find someone.
I was actually surprised she hadn’t stumbled into a relationship in the same way Olivia had by now.
“Which brings us to the last item.” Jax wrote something down and held it out toward me again. “Once I meet someone, I’ll have you come on a double date with us so you can let me know how I do.”
“I don’t really date.”
Jax tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows at me. “And you don’t want to?”
I shrugged. The problem wasn’t whether I wanted to date someone. The problem was finding someone who wanted to date me. Boring old me. “I’m a workaholic nerd. I’m sure that’s not on the top of anyone’s list of what they’re looking for.”
“You haven’t seen my list yet.”
There was that flirting again. Did this girl ever stop? “Enough list talk for now. We can start sometime this week, but not today.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Jax stood from the couch and squeezed my shoulder. “You know where to find me.”
Even if I didn’t already realize she was going to her room, I would have figured it out, because I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. What the heck is wrong with me?