Coffee in Common Read Online Free PDF Page B

stick around. But you never gave her any reason to do so. Women want, no, they need to be told, to be reassured all the time. They need to hear the words, and not just when you're in bed with them. I'd bet money Lisa's trying to decide if you'll ever wake up and realize that being together involves more than fun and games, especially if she's thinking long term. You know what I mean about long-term?"
    Rob nodded. "Yah, I guess so. But it's too late now. I can feel it. If she hasn't called in two weeks, she's not going to. Not until she gets up the nerve to tell me it's over for good."
    "You don't know that."
    "Yes I do."
    "No, you don't. But what have you done the past two weeks to help her decide? You've done nothing but leave one message on her machine. What do you think that's telling her? It's telling her you don't care enough to pursue her."
    "She said she didn't want to talk to me, she wanted the time alone."
    "Bullshit. She wants you to come after her, to show her that you really want her, and not just for sex and smartass. She's waiting for you to decide if you really want her for the long haul. She's waiting for you to do something, you dope."
    "Do what? What can I do?"
    "What can you do? Are you serious? Send her flowers, call her and tell her how much you miss her. And leave that message if she doesn't answer the phone. Camp out on her door step. Invite her out to talk. Tell her you love her, stupid."
    Paul punched Rob in the arm. "Tell her and show her how much you love her."
     
    7:35 PM
     
    Jillian opened her door and waited for her friends to hike up the twenty-one stairs to her floor.
    She'd spent the forty-five minutes between hanging up with Liz and her friends' arrival vacuuming her already clean rugs, washing and polishing her already spotless bathroom fixtures, and setting dishes, glasses, and chopsticks on the burled oak coffee table she'd rescued from the trash last year and had spent an entire weekend restoring to beauty. It rested in front of the sofa which was nestled in the large window bay.
    The girls bounced up the stairs whispering to each other, then hurried down the short hall when they noticed her waiting for them.
    "Jilli's got a boyfriend, Jilli's got a boyfriend," Jenna sang as she pranced through the door and hung her jacket on a peg. "Liz and I discussed it on the way over and we decided we really don't want to know anything about him. We'd rather watch a movie."
    Liz nodded her agreement as she set the bag full of aromatic Thai food on the bar separating the kitchen from the rest of the studio.
    "Oh, well, if you really don't want to hear about him…"
    Just then, the CD Jillian had started earlier played the last chords of I Believe In You And Me and restarted with Always and Forever . The dreamy expression returned as her eyes slowly closed, and she began swaying slightly with the music, her thoughts suddenly far from friends and food.
    Liz and Jenna exchanged astonished stares. Jillian was the practical one, not usually given to overly romantic flights of fancy. They watched her for a minute, grinning and pointing, mouthing silent questions and replies to each other.
    "Okay," Jenna said, no longer able to keep silent. "Enough of this game. Anyone who can make her do that I have to hear about."
     
    7:45 PM
     
    Halfway through their third beer, the two had pretty much talked-out the Lisa situation. They'd been sitting quietly for a few minutes, each lost in his own thoughts.
    Paul glanced at his watch, ready to split.
    Man, I hate leaving him here like this, but I really want to get home and call Jillian. Why the hell is he just sitting there? I'd have been out of here long ago looking for her. It's like he really doesn't think he can do anything. But how can he not at least try?
    He was about to tell Rob it was time to go when he noticed two women walk in. The shorter one waved their way as they approached the table.
    "Hi Rob. Sorry we're late. We took the train and something