26. Drew

Andrew

By the time we get to the restaurant, sit down, and eat, Jared is still talking. True to his word, he's on his third mimosa and halfway to ordering a fourth.

"Dude, I gotta cap you off at three. We still have to go back to work, and you won't stop talking."

Jared gasps and clutches his imaginary pearls. Here we go.

"Really, Drew? Have I not earned this—this morning? Hell, these past few days! Your life is causing me to become an alcoholic! LOOK AT ME, DREW!"

I roll my eyes. Jared has to be one of the most dramatic, reliable, hilarious, and trustworthy people I've ever met. He won't do commitment, but he's upfront with whoever he's with that it won't go anywhere. He's a good-looking bastard, so most women just go with it. He hasn't had a bad "breakup" yet—the women leave smiling and somehow don't even seem bitter when he says it's over.

"Well, I need you sober so you can tell me if I'm doing too much or not enough for Claire."

Jared holds a finger up to stop me. "Oh, I don't need to be sober for that one. It's not enough."

"You haven't even heard my plan."

"Yup. Don't need to. I think you've had it easy, Drew. She's always forgiven you for the free pass you've given Becca and your mom, so this is going to need to be dramatic. I'm talking call Taylor Swift and ask her to write a song about how shitty you've been kind of dramatic. Kim Kardashian and Ray J or Kanye kind of dramatic. Britney Spears meltdown in 2008 kind of dramatic. It needs to be bigger than the offense—which is huge. So in a few words, you are fucked."

I stare at Jared. His eyes are closed, head tilted toward the ceiling, probably proud of his little speech.

"I hired Joy to be Claire's realtor and help her look for close, safe places."

"Wait—Joy? As in Claire's best friend, Joy? You know they would've probably gone together anyway. Joy wants Claire away from you more than Becca wants to "carry a piece of you forever"—which is saying a lot." 

Jared frowns in disgust at that.

"I know. But Claire probably feels like she's taking enough of her friends' time and won't want to ask them to go to every showing. This way, she can have Joy with her, and Joy still makes money once Claire finds a place—so she's not 'missing work.' Also, I know Joy won't let Claire pick a cheap, unsafe place since Claire's insisting on relying only on her salary. Joy knows to use the bank statements from our joint accounts and not just Claire's, and I will pay for the place. She made sure to let me know she isn't on my team—but she knows Claire deserves this, and so much more... Jared?"

"Yes, Andrew?"

"You went quiet, so I didn't know if you were having a stroke or something."

"Nooope. Unfortunately for me, you're still my ride, so I'm still trapped here listening to you strategize how to get a mountain out of a molehill—is that right? 'How to get a mountain for a molehill'? How to molehill a mountain? Damn. Maybe three mimosas was too much."

"Making a mountain of a molehill! For fuck's sake, Jared—help me. I can't miss her pregnancy, man, and I feel like I will if we aren't in the same house. I can't not be there, Jared. I don't want to miss this with her."

Jared sighs. "Okay, Drew, maybe that's the problem. You want to be in the same home—but maybe she needs you to be separate right now. Let her find a place, then you date her. Old school. Then, ask to move in with her. Don't bring her backward when she's trying to move forward. And if she miraculously says you can move in, move into a separate room. Give her space—while also not missing out and still taking care of her from close but afar."

I stare at Jared. "I don't think she'd let me move in with her...but I'll try."

He shrugs, tossing back the last of his mimosa. "Just don't screw it up worse, man."

The waitress drops the bill and the to-go bag holding Claire's breakfast. I grab it and stand.

"Let's hope breakfast is a start."

We head to Aiden's, and all I can do is pray that Claire opens the door.