I thought maybe by the time we reached the far end of the gallery, he’d stop leading me, but he didn’t. We kept drifting—his hand at my elbow, then not—until we ended up at a narrow hallway near the catering station. Servers moved in and out with trays of empty flutes and shrimp skewers, casting us quick, curious glances as they passed. One waitress raised her eyebrows at us before turning on her heel, no doubt eager towhisper to someone about the almost couple lingering by the storage door.
Even though we weren’t a couple.
I closed my eyes for a moment and reminded myself of that.
“What are you doing?” I asked quietly.
“Talking.”
I glanced around again. “Here?”
“It’s the only place you won’t pretend I’m not standing next to you.”
That wasn’t fair, but it wasn’t wrong either.
“Okay,” I said, breath hitching. “Talk.”
“You haven’t been talking to me.”
“I’m talking to you now.”
“You know what I mean, Bri.”
I sighed.
“Fine. Then just tell me why we can’t …”
“Can’t what?”
“Be together,” Josh said. “I kept waiting for you to talk with me again after the other night and then you just ignored me completely again.”
“That’s not what I was trying to do,” I said.
“Wasn’t it?”
“No. Not exactly.”
Josh blinked, but his voice didn’t hesitate. “I don’t think I need to remind you just how much I like you and want to be with you now, but I can. Do you want me to?”
I wanted him to say it again and again until it rewrote all the memories of him walking away. “I’m scared.”
His chest bowed as he let out a deep breath, a small smile on his lips. “That’s ok. So am I, but I’m told in life that’s what makes it’s worthwhile, isn’t it?”
Coming from the guy that just last year was traveling the world and skydiving.
“What if …”
“What if what?” he asked, though we both already knew. “What if Gina finds out? Honestly, I feel like my sister couldn’t be more oblivious to anything that isn’t about her right now. I think we’re safe.”
I folded my arms, glaring. “Don’t be a jerk. I was her friend first.”
“I know,” he said, softer this time. “I’m sorry. I just … I’ve been trying to talk to you for days. You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Because it’s the only thing I can think to do. So this can all just … pass.”
“I told you,” he said, stepping closer, “you’re not something I want to get out of my system, Brielle.”
“We could still?—”
