“Nellie, I am so upset with you!” Shelby said as we made our way to my car from the library after I’d told her about leaving the note for the hot guy in the store.
“Why are you upset with me, Shelby?”
“Because you didn’t tell me that you were writing the letter, and you didn’t let me come with you. I wanted to see this hottie. How is it fair that Hunter got to see him and I didn’t?”
“Hunter didn’t even know what was going on, Shelby. He didn’t see anything.” I unlocked the car. “Now, get in and let’s go home. Let’s focus on the positive. I’m so excited that you’re going to be able to move in with me. What did your parents say?”
“My parents said that as long as it’s fine with your parents and as long as Hunter is not going to be expecting rent. They paid for my campus housing, so they don’t want to pay any more money. So basically it’s cool.” She shrugged as she got into the car. “But don’t try and change the subject on me, Nellie. Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell. I told you, I went to the store. I saw him. He was rude to me. I put the letter in his cart, and then I hurried away. That was three days ago, and I haven’t heard anything since.”
“Oh, man. And you’ve been checking your phone to make sure?”
“I have been checking my phone morning, noon, and night. I have no calls and no texts,” I sighed as I turned the ignition on. “I mean, I’m not going to lie. I’m kind of upset. I thought that he would have at least messaged me to tell me to go to hell or something, you know?”
“I guess that he just wasn’t interested,” Shelby said. “But maybe he doesn’t know it’s you. Maybe he thinks it’s like some old grandma or something, and he doesn’t want to lead her on.”
“I’m pretty sure he knows it was me. I mean, let’s be real. He and I had just exchanged words minutes before this mysterious letter is dropped into his cart. And I went off about his kids to his face and then the letter also talks about how he has bratty kids.”
“I can’t believe you said that!” she laughed. “Maybe he’s just so busy taking care of his bratty kids that he hasn’t had time to respond to you.”
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s it. I think he thinks I’m a bitchy Karen and that he’s going to leave me alone. I told you I went to the store yesterday and I didn’t see him.”
“Well, it’s not like he goes to the store every day. Come on, be reasonable, Nellie.”
“I’m trying to be reasonable, Shelby. It just sucks. If I’m honest, I thought that he’d call me that evening.” I groaned. “Oh, this is just so embarrassing!”
“Well, it’s not embarrassing because no one knows except me. And I think you were really brave to do that. I mean, I haven’t seen him, so I don’t know if he’s as hot as you’re making out that he is, but I believe that he is because I know you have good taste.”
“Well, thanks, Shelby. That makes me feel better. Not.”
“What? I’m just saying, I know how hard it must have been for you to give him that letter.”
“Um, how do you know how hard it was?”
“Because I’ve been thinking about writing a letter to my dad’s best friend, and I just can’t even think about writing it, let alone actually write one and give it to him. I would literally die if he figured out it was me.”
“You would not literally die, Shelby. You should totally do it.”
“Well, I would have done it if yours had worked out well, but …” She winced.
“Thanks, Shelby. That makes me feel really good.”
“I’m sorry. I mean, I can understand how you must be feeling. It sucks that he hasn’t responded back to you.”
“I mean, for all I know, he has a girlfriend. I mean, he is a hottie, so the likelihood is very high that he is seeing someone. Just because his wife died doesn’t mean that he’s single.” I sighed again. “Anyway, what do you want to do this weekend?”
“I don’t know. I heard there’s a football party. You want to go?”
“Yeah, I guess I could go to that.” I wasn’t crazy about the idea, but what did I have to lose? “Maybe I’ll meet another hottie there. He won’t be mature and arrogant like the guy in the store, but another jock hottie will do.”
“Girl, there are so many football guys that are into you. And your brother being Hunter, they all want to get into your pants and be part of your family. You’re so lucky.”
“How is that lucky, Shelby? Because guys want to screw me?”
“No, because they want to make you a wifey as well.”
“Shelby, no one is looking to make me a wifey that hasn’t even gone on a date with me,” I laughed. “Stop being silly.”
“No, it’s true. Everyone loves you.”
“Who is everyone? I am single, and you’re single. We’re both single.”
“And I just don’t know how that can be.” She smiled innocently. “We are two hot blondes. I mean, we’re most probably the hottest girls in that entire university, and we’re single. Are guys stupid?”
“Yes, they are,” I laughed. “Didn’t you get the memo?”
“I guess not,” she giggled. “Man, this sucks.”
“It’s fine.” I turned on the radio and we started singing along to a Taylor Swift song. I paused and then turned to look at her, “You know what? We are beautiful, independent women, and we don’t need any men. We can do what we want to do for ourselves.”
“Yeah, girlfriend. Preach,” she laughed and we both collapsed into giggles.