Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
I blink. “Holy shit, I can’t believe I forgot about it.”
His smirk is heartening. “I guess it’s good we ran into each other.”
“Jesus.” I lift my wrist to check my watch. “Can you be my future campaign manager?”
“Hell no.” He closes his book app. “But I’ll certainly organize your TV appearances and print out all your flyers.”
I playfully elbow him. “Deal.”
I sit there awkwardly, wondering how to bring up the topic of his date. I’ve never had an issue asking him pointed questions before.
“So…” He bites his lip. “Aren’t you gonna ask me how it went?”
Well, there it is.
“How did it go?” I squeak out, but if he thinks my voice sounds strange, he doesn’t mention it.
He hitches a shoulder like it’s no big thing. “Not well.”
Guilt tightens my stomach when I feel relieved. “So…?”
“There was no chemistry.” He sniffs self-confidently, and I note how flippant he sounds over a disaster of a date. This is definitely an improvement. “And besides, I apparently talked about you a bit too much.”
“Uh-oh.” I wince. My pulse is throbbing as I ask, “What made you do that?”
He bites his lip. “It’s comfortable talking about my best friend.”
My neck prickles. “Still, he probably got the wrong idea.”
He frowns. “He did, but I set him straight.”
Christ, why do I feel relief and regret all at once?
“And…what happened?”
He sighs dramatically. “We decided to be friends.”
“Suppose it could’ve been worse.” I nudge his shoulder. “You could always use more friends.”
He rolls his eyes and grows silent. From the way he’s fidgeting, I can tell there’s something else he wants to say. I wait him out.
“Thing is…” Austin twiddles his thumbs. “I’m pretty sure I need a fourth date. Maybe even a fifth.”
I inhale sharply. “Are you serious?” My heart is thumping hard as I try to make sense of why I feel so pleased.
“Well, yeah…look how much I messed up on that date.”
“But look how far you’ve come. You realized there was no chemistry instead of beating yourself up about not being someone’s type. You’re finally seeing that it’s not only one-sided. People have to actually connect, and it needs to be mutual.”
“Suppose you’re right.” Austin glances toward the ocean and stands. Suddenly I want to take back every levelheaded, mature thing I just said and hash it through with him again.
“Gotta head to the Italian place.” He averts his eyes. “And it’s okay if you don’t want to—”
“I do,” I blurt. “I only wanted to point out some of the positive changes I’ve seen in you.”
“Thanks.” He toes the grass. “But like I said, I could use more practice.”
When our eyes meet, I ask, “What are we doing, Austin?”
“I just told you I need more—”
“No.” I lightly grip his wrist. “I mean, what are we really doing?”
His eyes grow wide and searching. “I don’t know, but I don’t wanna stop.”
The molecules in the air start popping and zinging between us like we’re standing on the precipice of a giant cliff and neither of us is willing to take the first plunge. Either out of fear or worry.
Somehow, pretending is easier. And a whole lot more fun.
“I don’t wanna stop either. Until one of us decides it’s time.” Austin’s breathing is labored as he listens. “Promise me we’ll fight to maintain our friendship because I swear to God, if I fuck it up—”
“I promise.”
When I see Austin’s parents walking toward us, I lift my hand in a wave.
“I thought I was meeting you on the pier,” Austin says before hugging his parents.
“We decided to take a stroll around campus,” Mr. Reid replies. “And just happened upon the two of you.”
“I hope this means you’re joining us,” Mrs. Reid says to me. “We’d love to hear about your school year too.”
God, they’re great, and right then, I want nothing more than to hang out with them for a couple of hours. “You know what? I will.”
“What about your meeting?”
“I’ll just show up late.” It isn’t for another hour, and I’ve never missed one before. “I can always say that my second set of parents are in town. They’ll get it.”
“Perfect. We love spending time with our other son.”
Mrs. Reid throws her arm around my shoulder, and Austin grins as we follow behind him and his stepdad to the restaurant. This doesn’t surpass Austin asking for another date, but spending time with the Reid family fills me with a quiet comfort I didn’t realize I was missing.
Once our food arrives, I’m having too much fun to leave for the meeting. I just want to be in this bubble with them and have a good meal. So I scroll to Ian’s name in my phone and fire off a quick text, letting him know I can’t make it. It’s so unlike me, but Austin would be proud since he thinks I burn the candle at both ends.