Red Roses and Regret

trous dinner, a mutual

ey's tonight. For drinks. Mark might be there

tion.

of me, the part that needed

I saw Jenna waving from

some of his old college buddie

ched into a cheerful, forc

really

by the conversation at

ere laughing,

hloe, man?" one of them, Dave, said lo

rained sound. "Anci

u were *this* close to asking her out before she too

d gone to an out-o

rk had suddenly, surprisingly, accept

in college, made it pretty obvious. H

Chloe left,

ked into place,

hoice. I was a placehold

e with physical force

my chair scr

s turne

d over

smile on his face. It falter

? You

n, Mark?" I asked, my

"What are you

Chloe. You only started dating

t, suddenly very inter

" Mark said, but hi

, I thought you were just emotionally constip

mething I'd only e

he beer i

g splash, but

beer dripping

ch word. "And this time, it's for goo

t, Jenna calling after

felt cold