Nothing Good Gets Away

Chapter 39

ROWAN BASS

Today marks one year since Harry moved in, and since Scout happily peed on his floor. Today is also, surprisingly, Carson's birthday. I was aware that we were creeping up on the anniversary of Harry moving in, but Carson's birthday was a surprise to me.

I know I shouldn't, but I feel torn on how to celebrate the day when I know that the obvious answer is that I should be planning something special for my boyfriend. I guess I just have this thing about sentimental moments, hence the actual birthday party celebration I had for Scout when he turned one year old. Harry went with me to a real dog park, where Scout was able to play and interact with a bunch of different dogs, and I made him another cake to eat before giving him a handful of new toys.

But in order to celebrate both events today, I privately decided that Harry and I would spend the day together, and I would make dinner for Carson at my apartment tonight. I thought about inviting all of my and Harry's friends, but Carson and I haven't really introduced our friends to each other just yet. Maybe his birthday isn't the best time to try and do that.

"It's hard to believe it's already basically Summer," Harry says as we set up our towels on the beach. The water is far too cold for us to swim, but the weather is too nice for us to be cooped up inside somewhere.

"I know, it's insane," I pat my towel for Scout to sit next to me, and start pulling out the picnic I packed for the three of us. "It's also hard to believe it's been a year since Scout peed on your floor."

He laughs and naturally looks at my dog. "Do you ever wonder if we'd still end up becoming friends if that didn't happen?"

I let myself think about it for a moment, and I consider how I can explain that I thought he was much too attractive for me to approach otherwise. I still think that–that he's attractive, I mean–but things are different now.

"Maybe," I reply. "I'm not sure how, though. I don't typically try to befriend men."

"No?"

"Mm-mm," I hand him his sandwich first. "I've never had guy friends before, except for a couple in culinary school, but we weren't friends like you and I are. It was more of a cordial acquaintance thing."

"Yeah, I mean...I guess I've never really had any close girlfriends either. I always end up befriending the girls that my friends are seeing, but I've never had a girl best friend."

In my mind, I'd like to believe that that only means we think there's something pretty special about the other. I know that's how I feel, anyway. 

"You've never told me about your friends back in England," I bite into my sandwich and pull a bacon treat from Scout's bag to give it to him with no catch involved. "What are they like?"

Harry smiles at the mention of them, which elicits one from me. "There's really just three of them that I still keep in touch with. Niall, Louis, and Liam."

"They sound British," I speak with my mouth full, and he nods with a muffled laugh.

"Well, Niall's actually Irish, but Louis and Liam are English, yeah. We've been friends since we started university, and we just stayed friends after. I saw them when I went home for Christmas, and even though I haven't spoken to them a whole lot since I moved because of the time difference and just, like, life in general, it still felt like nothing has changed in all that time."

"I feel like those are the best kinds of friendships, right?"

"I think so," he agrees. "And speaking of which, sort of, have you spoken to Sienna since the whole lying disaster?"