It's a Waverly Life (21 page)

That Saturday was bright and clear and crisp, and as I began to descend the Fillmore Street steps toward the Marina to meet Andie, I stopped for a moment and gazed out at the sailboats moving gently across the San Francisco Bay. After nearly ten years, I still found it breathtaking. A jogger slowly trekked up the hill toward me, and I smiled at him as he passed by.
Just try to find a better place to live than this,
I thought. It was March and at least sixty degrees. Behind me I heard a noise. I turned around to see a couple cruising down Broadway on a Vespa, and I smiled again.
I bet it’s snowing in New York right now
.

Ten minutes later, I entered the Grove on the corner of Chestnut and Avila. I scanned the room for Andie but didn’t see her. As usual the place was packed, so I went outside to check the benches on either side of the entrance. I saw about a dozen dogs and nearly as many owners, plus at least twenty dog lovers petting the dogs. I knew at least half of them were complaining that they wanted to get a dog but couldn’t because their building didn’t allow it. It’s amazing what people will put up with to live in San Francisco: no parking, no pets, high rent, awful public transportation, freezing summers, lame cell phone reception, and a terrible football team that makes the whole city long for the glory days of Joe Montana. You name it, we deal with it. And we love doing so.

No sign of Andie.

“Hey, Waverly.”

I turned around to find a face I hadn’t seen in months.

“Brad?” It was the ubiquitous Brad Cantor, or should I say, the formerly ubiquitous Brad Cantor. He had moved to Los Angeles several months earlier for his job, and when he left, a little piece of small-town San Francisco went with him. Running into congenial yet dorky Brad Cantor everywhere I went used to drive me nuts, but now that it didn’t happen anymore, I had to admit that I missed it. I even missed
him
a little bit.

I gave him a hug. “How are you? How is LA?”

He shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“Not your scene?”

“Not really. It’s just so big and spread out. I can go weeks without running into anyone I know. Not that I know that many people yet.”

I patted him on the arm and smiled. “It’s only a matter of time. So what are you doing back in town? Are you still seeing Mandy?”

His face lit up. “Yes.”

“How’s it going with the distance?”

“It’s not ideal, but we make it work.” The way he said it made it sound so…
easy
.

“That’s…great.” I hoped he couldn’t see what I was really feeling behind my smile. “So you’re in town to visit her?”

“Yes and no. The real reason is for a buddy’s wedding. Seems like everyone I know is getting married these days, or having kids.”

“I’m not!” I blurted, then covered my mouth when I realized I’d practically shouted. “Oops, sorry. How long are you in town?”

“Just for the weekend. And hey, I’m glad I ran into you. I wanted to tell you that I’ve been reading your column online. It’s funny.”

“You think so?” I was intrigued. Brad was as kind as they come, but he was completely lacking in the humor department.

He nodded. “I’m impressed. I never thought of you as being funny.”

I nearly laughed out loud. Given how many times I’d made fun of him behind his back, I totally deserved that. I smiled. “Thanks, Brad. I appreciate that.”

“Well hey, I’ve got to head back to Mandy’s place before these get cold.” He held up his Noah’s Bagels bag. “It was nice running into you.”

“It was nice running into you, too.” For the first time maybe ever, I meant it.

I watched him disappear down Chestnut Street, thinking about what he’d said. Then I heard Andie’s voice behind me. “Hey, woman.”

I turned around and saw that McKenna was with her. I hugged them both before stepping back to admire McKenna’s growing belly.

“Wow, baby Kimball’s getting big.”

“Tell me about it,” McKenna said. “I’ve think I’ve got a sumo wrestler growing in here.”

“You’ve
got
to see her butt when she sits down,” Andie said. “It spreads out behind her like a fan. It’s fantastic.”

“Thank you for pointing that out,” McKenna said.

Andie put her hands up in front of her. “Hey now, don’t shoot the messenger. Was that Brad Cantor?”

I nodded. “Can you believe it? The first sighting in months.”

“Doesn’t he live in LA now?” McKenna said.

“Yep. He’s just in town for the weekend. And now that I’ve run into him, I feel like order has been restored to the universe. I’m so glad you’re here, by the way. I didn’t know you were going to make it.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. Just swamped.”

“We’re going to have to start calling you
McKenna MIA
,” Andie said.

“I know, I know. Especially since after brunch I need to take off to meet Hunter.”

“More house hunting?” I said.

She nodded. “It never ends. Every weekend is like
Groundhog Day
.”

We walked into the Grove, and Andie pushed her sunglasses up to rest on her head. “So how’s it been going?”

McKenna sighed. “They say real estate is all about location, location, location, but it seems like no matter
what
the location in Mill Valley, the operative word is expensive, expensive, expensive.”

“That’s why I go with rent control, rent control, and more rent control,” I said.

We got in line and ordered three coffees (decaf for Mackie) and three veggie scrambles, then took our numbered flag stands and sat down at a table. When we finally had our meals, McKenna put her hand on my arm.

“How are you holding up?”

I smiled weakly. “I’m trying, but I wouldn’t say I’m succeeding.”

“Have you heard from him?”

I shook my head.

“Have you e-mailed him?”

“I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“I’m sorry, Wave.”

“Thanks, Mackie. I’m doing anything and everything I can not to think about him for now and accept whatever the world is trying to tell me, although I fear it’s telling me I suck and will be alone forever.”

She laughed. “Please. You’re way too loveable to be alone forever.” Then she looked at Andie. “Am I right?”

Andie nodded and looked at me. “You rock.”

I forced another smile. “Thanks. Actually, I’m making a big effort to focus on important things in my life other than romance. Like my
friends
, for example.” I pointed to both of them with my fork.

“I like it,” Andie said. “Anything that focuses on me, I like.”

“Also, I went to see my dad last weekend.” I was glad to change the subject.

McKenna reached for a napkin. “Your dad? Really?”

“Yep. He has a girlfriend. I met her. Can you believe it?”

“Your dad has a girlfriend? How did that go?” I could see the surprise in her face.

“It was weird at first. But it ended up going really well because she helped keep the conversation going. I mean, I love my dad, but we never seem to have that much to say to each other, you know?”

They’d met my dad. They knew.

“It was nice to have someone else there, to help us, well,
talk
. Plus, he seems really happy. He’s like a different person.”

“I have something I need to talk about,” Andie suddenly said.

McKenna and I both looked at her.

“What’s up?” I asked.

She lowered her voice. “Actually, the problem is what’s
not
up.”

We both raised our eyebrows. “You know,
down there
.”

Neither of us spoke.

She sighed. “Come on, people, work with me here.” McKenna sat up straight. “Oh, you mean…”

“I
mean
I’m not getting it,” Andie said. “Sex?” I said.

She nodded. “You aren’t getting enough?”

“I’m not getting
any
.”

“Any?” McKenna said.

“None.”

“Like,
ever
?” McKenna said.

“Like,
never
.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Wait a minute. Are you saying that you haven’t slept with him even once?”

She picked up a piece of toast. “I prefer to think of it as
he
hasn’t slept with
me
. God knows
I’m
able and willing.”

“I don’t get it,” McKenna said.

She sighed. “Welcome to the club. At first I thought it was cool, because it was nice, for once, to be with a guy who doesn’t take sex so lightly. For a while it made me feel respected, but now it’s just driving me crazy.”

“Has he said why? Or I mean, why not?” I asked.

She waved the toast in the air. “It’s always some excuse, like he has to get up early, or he’s not feeling well, and lately it’s been that he wants to wait until it feels right.”

I coughed. “He said he wants to wait until it
feels right
? In the history of time, I don’t think any man has ever uttered those words.”

“Tell me about it. It’s so weird. I mean, he kisses me, and we cuddle, and he says the sweetest things, but that’s where it always ends. I’m beginning to think that…maybe…he’s not into me. Either that, or he’s seeing someone else and doesn’t want to sleep with more than one person at the same time.”

My ears perked up.

“You think so?” McKenna said.

“I don’t know. But what else could it be? I mean, what’s the problem? I’m attractive, right?”

McKenna put her hand on Andie’s shoulder. “Of course. Don’t think for a second you’re not.”

“You’re hot,” I said, nodding.

Andie smiled. “Thanks. Good lord, ladies, what has it come to that
I’m
questioning how attractive I am to men?
Me?
”

“Talk about a disturbance in the Force,” I said, pretending to wave a lightsaber.

“Maybe he really
is
just waiting for the right moment,” McKenna said. “Maybe he’s really that into you.”

I hoped Andie didn’t see the look of concern in my face. “Yeah, maybe that’s it.”

She tossed the toast on her plate. “This is brand new for me. I’ve never been turned down by a guy in the bedroom, so I’ve got to admit that I’m a little freaked out.”

“Wow, you’re never freaked out about
anything
,” I said.

“I know. So the fact that I’m freaked out has me even more freaked out.”

“What are you going to do?” McKenna said.

Andie shrugged. “I guess I’ll just wait and see what happens. Although knowing me, what will happen is that I’ll crack after a couple glasses of wine and ask him why the hell he doesn’t want to sleep with me.”

I laughed. “What does
CJ
stand for anyway?”

“Casey James.”

I sucked in my breath.

This is unfortunate information.

Then something else occurred to me. “You mean Casey James, like that hot guy who was on
American Idol
a few seasons ago?”

She looked at me. “Are you really bringing up
American Idol
right now?”

“You’re right, not good timing, sorry. Do you think…maybe he’s acting weird because of that comment I made on
The Today Show
?” I was afraid to hear her answer. Which was worse? For CJ to be cheating on her? Or for him to be thinking she was kind of a slut because of what I’d said? Maybe the unfortunate truth was…both? However you sliced the problem, the answer was not pretty.

“It’s definitely not that,” she said quickly. “He didn’t even see it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Totally sure.”

McKenna checked her phone. “Damn it, I’ve really got to go. I’m so sorry to eat and run yet again, ladies. I hate leaving in the middle of this.”

Andie finally took a bite of her toast. “It’s okay, you’ve got a lot on your plate right now besides food.”

I nodded. “Totally okay, we still love you.” I pointed to her stomach. “And we love her too.”

“Thanks for understanding. I really wish I could stick around and hash this one out.” She stood up and unhooked her purse from the back of her chair, then leaned down to give us each a quick hug. “Love you both. Good luck with CJ, Andie.”

A few minutes after McKenna left, a woman wearing a skintight white unitard walked in. I mean
skintight.
She was carrying a yoga mat, a purse, and nothing else. As she walked toward the counter to order, Andie and I turned our heads in disbelief. So did everyone else in her path.

“I just saw the full outline of her vagina,” Andie said, not in a quiet voice.

I laughed out loud. “Andie!”

“I saw it too,” said the guy sitting at the table next to us.

Andie looked at me. “See?”

I kept laughing. “No thanks, I don’t need to.”

Ten minutes later Andie and I gathered our things and headed west on Chestnut toward Crissy Field. I felt uneasy about my stealth approach to the situation, but I didn’t want to rock the boat unless I was certain that her Casey and Ivy’s Casey were one and the same.