Donnie looked at his phone for what had to be at least the tenth time that day. He hadn't heard from Annalise since their awkward text exchange and he knew he wouldn't unless he called her. Biting the bullet he brought up her number and hit send. As the phone rang and rang he began to regret calling but just as he thought it was going to voicemail, she picked up.

"Hello, Donnie?" she said her accent more pronounced than usual.

"Hey, how are you?"

There was a pause. "I'm well, and you?"

"I'm okay." He paused, swallowing his pride. "Listen I've been following your advice, and I've spoken to my financial advisor and I've got more work lined up. He's called on a few family friends and they've put some jobs my way." He grimaced, Greg had gotten him more work than he'd anticipated and he was not looking forward to it. The whole point of being self-employed was to do his own thing. He slapped his palm to his forehead, no doing his own thing had gotten him in this mess in the first place.

"Oh Donnie, I'm so proud of you," Annalise gushed, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I know you have it in you, you simply have to apply yourself."

"That's what I'm trying to do," he grudgingly admitted. "So how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, of course," she said sounding perplexed at the question. "Nothing has changed in the past minute but I can't help worry about you."

"Well, you don't need to be, I'm doing great." He cringed, yeah he was doing a grand job getting his friends and family to bail him out. "So how about getting together sometime?"

"I'd like that."

He almost doubted he'd heard her right. "That's fantastic, Anna."

"Yes, I do still value our friendship."

"Right." He deflated like a popped balloon. "So you want to meet up as friends?"

She gave a tinkly laugh. "Of course, I'd hate to lose you as a friend."

You already have.

"Yeah, I'd hate to lose you too." He inhaled deeply, pushing his disappointment to one side, friendship it would have to be for now. "How about we get together at the end of next week?" he asked. "Friday evening? I doubt I'll have any work on then."

"Yes, I should be able to fit that in." She sounded like she was making an appointment with the dentist. "Message me when you know exactly what your schedule is. I'll be waiting."

He hung up. I'll be waiting. Okay, she was giving him Friday night and that was better than a Tuesday afternoon but still...

~~~

"Hey, you need to use a lower weight and do more reps if you want to get the fat off."

Donnie grimaced, ignoring yet another of Joe's insults as he pushed the weight above his shoulders. "Are you trying to give me fitness advice?" he asked as he lowered the weight and looked at Joe standing over him. "I could snap you like a twig."

Joe laughed. "Nah, I'd outrun you first."

Yeah, the little shit probably would.

"True," he said putting the weight down. "But you're not in the best shape yourself."

Despite his lean form, Joe picked the weight up with surprising ease. "Looks can be deceiving." He did a few squats before turning back. "So what brings you here? I thought you got enough of a work-out with your day job."

Donnie frowned, not sure if he detected a note of condescension. "Business is slow, although I've got a few things in the pipeline. I'm moving into home improvements." 

"Sounds like a plan," Joe huffed as he began to struggle. "You'll have to take a look at my place. When I move in I mean."

"You're finally making the break?" Joe had been living with his parents since he'd graduated from college and Donnie suspected he'd got far too comfortable with them. He'd moved seamlessly into the family business, happy to be his father Adam's lapdog. It was a trap Donnie had been desperate to avoid.

"Yeah, Kat and I are moving in together," Joe said giving him a hard stare. "You know, Katherine, my girlfriend. When are you going to meet her properly?"

He shrugged. "I've met her, she's a brunette right?" And about as interesting as watching paint dry if he recalled her correctly.

"You've met her in passing," Joe said frowning. "She's important to me, I'd like you to get to know her."

"Okay, okay, I will."

Joe looked nonplussed. "What's with the attitude?"

"I don't have an attitude." Joe raised his eyebrows. "Alright. Annalise and I are on a break. Or maybe we've broken up, I dunno."

"Jeez, why didn't you say?" Joe lowered the weight, giving him his full attention.

"Cos I'm not entirely sure what the situation is." Well, he knew he was supposed to be on a journey of self-improvement but no way was he gonna mention that.

"I'm sorry," Joe said his voice placatory. "I know how much she meant to you."

"She was just a girl," he said dismissively.

Joe shook his head. "No, she wasn't, she was different to the others."

Donnie laughed, trying to make light of his words. "In case you've forgotten, I've got about three years on you. I'm supposed to give you relationship advice little cousin."

"Well maybe I'm ahead of you there," Joe said, his mouth turning down. "I know what it's like to lose 'the one.'"

"'The one,'" he spluttered. "You and Shannon were just kids when you got together, it's hardly the same."

Joe scowled at him. "And we were together for over three years so I know how much it hurts when you break up."

"Okay, so what do you suggest I do?" he asked humouring Joe. "How do I forget about her?"

"You have to cut all contact, block her number, block her on social media, everything. You can't stay friends or even acquaintances; you won't stop thinking about her if she's still in your life."

"And that's what you did?"

Joe grinned. "Yep and look at me now. I've found a great girl to be with."

Donnie ignored his smug tone suspecting that Joe was trying to settle down with the first girl who'd have him. Maybe he had struck gold but it was just as likely he was blindly following the path that Adam had set for him, and that was not a route Donnie wanted to take. No, he'd continue to try with Annalise while he still might have a chance. If he failed, then he'd move on.

~~~