Free Mending by J. B. McGee Page A

help it.  She realized that she had already fallen much harder than she had even realized.  She not only longed for his touch, his smiles, his seductive looks, but she also longed for his attention.  She longed to know she was on his mind and that no matter how busy he was that he had time for her.
    She grabbed her cell phone and called to make an appointment for as soon as possible with Dr. Harrison.  She knew that if she didn’t start therapy soon she may very well end up far more heartbroken than she could handle if things didn’t work out between the two of them. 
    As soon as she had hung up from scheduling that appointment for a couple of weeks out she called John.  She and John had remained friends despite the Ian and Lindsey debacle.  In fact, he was her best friend aside from Sam.  He had gone to The University of South Carolina in Columbia and so he was nearby.  He was like the big brother she had never had and she knew that she could tell him anything.  More than that, she knew he would help her sort out all of these emotions.  She needed to hear what he thought of Bradley.  Not just because he was her best friend, but because he was a guy.  A guy’s perspective was always welcomed when it came to dating.  She stopped herself for a moment and realized what she had just thought. Dating.  Not friendship, she had referenced her relationship with Bradley as dating. 
    She dialed John’s number and he answered pretty quickly, “Hey Gabby.  How was your weekend with Sam?”
    “Hey.” Gabby paused trying to figure out where to start and how to classify the weekend. “Too much to tell you over the phone.  You wanna order a pizza or something?”
    “Yeah, your place or mine?”
    “Mine, please.” Gabby giggled.  “I definitely don’t want all of your roommates listening to our conversation.”
    “Hmm, somehow I don’t think this weekend was all about you and Sam.”
    “No, very little about Sam, actually.”
    “Ah, I’m curious now.  I will be over in about twenty minutes.  Go ahead and order the pizza.  I’ll pick it up on my way.”
    “K.  Thank you, John.”
    “For what baby girl?”
    “For being a good friend.”
    “Don’t get sappy on me, Gabby.  I am still a guy.”
    Gabby laughed. “Okay okay.  See you soon.”
    Gabby hung up and ordered their favorite pizza, The Works from Papa Johns.  She sat down and started to read The Notebook while she waited for John to get there.  She knew as soon as she started, she’d have to put it away.  She didn’t care, though.  At least that would give her time to get past the beginning boring part of the book. 
    Sure enough, twenty minutes later John was there.  She was surprised how she immediately felt better about her situation.  They got plates out and Gabby put a slice of pizza on each of them.  She opened the garlic dipping sauce and put it in the middle of the bar.  “Do you want a Diet Coke?” She asked him as she went to the fridge. 
    “I’d rather Coke, but if diet is all you’ve got I’ll take it.”  He winked at her.  “You know I like fizz with my pizza.”
    Gabby giggled and winked back to him.  “And you know that Coke is not allowed in my apartment.”  
    John shrugged one shoulder and had a sideways grin.  “I figured but it never hurts to ask.”
    Gabby got their drinks and walked around to the other side of the bar and climbed onto the stool.  “No double dipping in the sauce!” She teased him.
    “I don’t double dip, do I?”
    “Noooo,” She exaggerated sarcastically.
    She told him everything that had happened during the weekend and about the mid-week appointment proposition as they ate their pizza.  As John finished off his last slice, he hopped up from his bar stool to wash the plate.
    “Gabby, what do you want me to say?”
    “Well, I don’t necessarily want you to say anything.  I just want your opinion.”
    John raised one of his thick dark eyebrows and looked up to her as