“well…I do not agree with your methods…”

“well that’s too bad” I told her laughing then I heard my mom call me from downstairs

“oh I think I heard mama Carlin…” she said

“yeah you did…dinner’s done…but I’ll call you later…”

“oh I’m holding you too it” she said and I could just feel her smile on the other line

“ok…later pookie”

“bye muffin” she replied and I laughed hanging up the phone then I went downstairs, and all I thought about was Ashley

********************

“well that convo was cute” Katie told me

“yeah…that seems to be the norm” I told her laying back on my bed

“so…you tell her yet?” Aiden asked me

“tell her what?”

“uh…that you love her…” Katie said smiling wide at me

“…that you’re in love with her” Aiden corrected

“I’m not in love with her…” I told them

“bull shit…” Aiden said “…ash we know you better than anyone, and you do love her…” he added

“and you’re so lucky…” Katie said “…I feel so proud of myself, I mean I set this little thing up six months ago…”

“and I thank you for that…” I told her “…she’s great, besides the five months of her recovery that were hell, but we’re good now”

“and I think that proved a lot…” Aiden said

“guys I’m not in love” I said

“why are you acting so scared?” they asked me

“I’m not…”

“yes you are…” Katie said

“I mean do you realize how lucky you are?” Aiden asked

“I’m not looking for love here guys…” I told them

“that’s just it then…” Aiden told me “…if you look for love you’re not going to find it, you weren’t looking for it, so it found you…” he added then I was confused

“ok…look at it this way…you know when you play where’s waldo and it’s like the harder you look it gets even more impossible to find him?” Katie asked “well love is like Waldo, and then that one day you open up the book…he’s just there…”

“that was a terrible analogy” Aiden told her then she threw a magazine at him

“no…no actually it’s really good…” I told him

“lets look at it this way…” Aiden started “do you think about her all the time?”