"So the doc's asking you to go to some weight loss ranch in Montana?" Ethan asked as he chopped the tomatoes.
"Yup, that's pretty much it. It's just an option, of course. I could stay here and lose the weight too, under his supervision," Rob explained, draining the spaghetti. "But at least, at the ranch, it's sort of like a vacation for me too. And it will be a healthy lifestyle 24-7."
"It does sound good," Julia said, stacking the blue plates to bring out to the dining room in preparation for the dinner party. "It's like the Biggest Loser. Once you have the healthy habits ingrained in you, it'll be easier when you come back, right?"
"Exactly, Jules." Rob set the pot on top of the stove again. "What do you think, Ethan?"
For some reason, Ethan was looking rather worried. "How long will you be gone?"
"Well, the length of stay depends from person to person. They have everything from a week to up to four months."
"You'll be gone for up to four months?" The frown in Ethan's forehead was deepening.
"Maybe, I don't know. It depends on how I do there. Dr. McGraw wants me to stay there for the whole four months, though."
"I think it's a great idea, Robbie." Julia smiled at him before walking out to the dining room, and not for the first time, Rob wished that it was easier to hate the one contender for Ethan's affections. But it was hard to hate someone so genuinely nice, someone who loved Ethan almost as much as he did. Someone who was good for him.
"Ethan, what do you think?" Rob was a little worried. He had expected Ethan to be enthusiastic about this, or at least supportive, but his friend was being uncharacteristically quiet and unresponsive.
"Well, I just think most likely, it will be expensive," Ethan admitted. "And it's a really long time."
"It's just four months," Rob said. "I'll be back before you know it, and you'll be bitching to me about Barnes chewing you out over the year-end reports."
He was gratified to see Ethan smile at the mention of his inept boss, but it didn't last long. "How much is it going to cost ya?"
Rob pulled out a calculator from the kitchen drawer and punched in some numbers. "It's not set in stone, but I think it's going to be around 15 grand."
"Whoa." Ethan whistled. "That's some serious dough."
"It is." Rob put the calculator back. "I've got about half of it, I'm going to ask my mom for help with the other half."
"Y'know, don't," Ethan said, surprising him. "I'll loan you the other half."
"But-"
"But nothing. End of discussion. Now, move your lazy ass and help me grate that cheese." Ethan was grinning at him as he scooped the tomatoey mess into a bowl.
Rob seriously wanted to throw his arms around Ethan. And kiss the hell out of him. But the thought that he was standing in Ethan and Julia's kitchen was a sobering one. Well, maybe not Julia's yet, but when they got married, it would technically be hers.
"Thanks for the loan," he said a little sheepishly, picking up the grater.
"What loan?" Julia asked as she sailed into the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at both men.
"Rob's decided to go to that ranch in Montana," Ethan told her. "And I'm loaning him about 8 grand so he can go."
"But isn't that money for your business start-up thing?" she pointed out.
He nodded at her. "I'll still have enough, don't worry." He turned to Rob. "Which reminds me, I need to talk to you later, about the whole bookstore thing I was telling you about."
"Sure." Rob knew that Ethan had always wanted to start his own business, but it had always been mostly just talk while Ethan was saving up money first. Now, it seemed like a jolt to discover that after so many years, Ethan was finally going to take his first big step. Kind of like how Rob was taking his own big step, with his going to the ranch. Again, another example of how their lives often paralleled each other's.
"Who's coming tonight?" Ethan asked Julia. "I kinda forgot."
"Tim and Beatrice. But not Anna though." She wrinkled her nose. "Not after what she did to poor Robbie. I'm so sorry we set you up with her, hon."
"Oh hey, it's forgotten." Rob wondered if there was a way to drop any hint that setting him up on dates with women was pointless, but he didn't think it would be a good idea to come out in Ethan's kitchen right before their dinner party. It would be distinctively uncomfortable.
"Let's finish this up. I'm starving!" Ethan declared, and when Julia wasn't looking, he winked at Rob, who grinned back. It was a good thing that his friend could sense his feelings pretty easily, and vice versa. Their non-verbal conversations - and exchanged winks and glances - often drove Julia berserk, but it was one of the hallmarks of their friendship.
"C'mon boys, you gotta hustle!" Julia laughed, before planting a kiss on Ethan's lips, and Rob had to turn and look away. Maybe it was a good idea to disappear for a few months after all.