Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

MOVING ON?

The apartment felt bigger when Asha wasn't in it. Too quiet. Too empty.

I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled slowly, staring at my phone. Jess had sent a picture an hour ago-Asha sitting between her cousins at a kids' museum, her blonde curls sticking up from static electricity as she pressed her hands to a plasma globe. She looked happy. Excited. Carefree. That should have made me feel better. Instead, it just reminded me how much I hated being away from her.

I tossed my phone onto the couch and paced the length of the living room. I had an entire weekend to myself for the first time in what felt like forever, and I had no idea what to do with it.

Go out? No. That wasn't my scene anymore.

Stay in? Even worse.

Sleep? Wishful thinking.

I glanced toward the kitchen, my stomach twisting. I could cook something. Have a drink. And maybe-

I stopped short. My gaze landed on my phone again. The thought had been hovering at the back of my mind all damn day, and now it had settled there, stubborn and persistent.

Vivien.

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15:04

MOVING ON?

288 Vouchers

1

What the fuck was I thinking?

I'd been avoiding her since... Since that night. It hadn't been anything, not really-just dinner, just talking, just something that had made me feel lighter for the first time in a long time. And maybe that was the problem

I'd spent months focused on getting Laura into the Germany program. And now? Now, the doctors had given me the kind of update that felt like a gut punch. No improvement. No change. No real hope. Laura was still breathing. Still existing. But the woman I loved? The woman I married?

She wasn't coming back.

And yet, the idea of moving forward-of stepping toward something new-felt impossible.

picked up my phone before I could talk myself out of it. My thumb hovered over Vivien's name.

What the hell was I even going to say?

Hey, want to come over?

For what? A date? A distraction?

Jesus. I was a mess.

sighed, shaking my

Josh:

15:04

MOVING ON?

288 Nouches

Hey.

was

little dots appeared almost immediately, then disappeared. Then

rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly regretting this

Then-

Vivien:

Hey yourself.

screen, my heart pounding harder than it should have

could

Or-

Josh:

Dinner?

This

when her response finally came through, I

Vivien:

I'd like that.

Fuck.

15:04

MOVING ON?

288 Vouchers

So would I.

my thumb hesitating over

Josh:

See you

overthinking.

off another text to the pizza place

my chest like I was about to walk

was fine.

just to be

Luke's name. He picked

voice

is insane, right?" I asked

was a pause, then, "I'm gonna need more context,

"I just asked Vivien

of

"Like a date?"

face. "I don't

15:04

MOVING ON?

288 Vouchers

yes. And now I feel