She inserted an invisible key in the air, turned it and tossed it into thin air.
“I have no idea what’s going on but it probably has to do with my life blowing up in my face. But with Beck and I working side by side…” I shrugged. “I don’t know. Something’s… weird.”
“By ‘weird’ do you mean you’re attracted to him?” Delaney asked, her voice lacking judgment, which I appreciated. Because honestly, I would judge me. Nothing could be a worse idea than being attracted to a guy like Beck.
“I guess?”
Jules sat back, as if she was about to deliver a UN speech. “Okay, here are the facts for the uninitiated,” she said to Delaney. “The two of them have been dancing around each other since middle school. When his family moved outside of town, she was devastated. Cried for a week. And then Beck’s family went from well-to-do to high society, and he hated it and rebelled. About that same time, all the other girls started to notice him too, and he’s been a man whore ever since, totally turning Mae off to him as anything but a friend. Then he was off to college, she was off to CIA and later France; never the twain shall meet, for any extended period of time, until now. Obviously Beck is still hot, and charming, if you like that sort of thing. You’re welcome.”
I’d have loved to argue with Jules’s version of events, but that was pretty accurate.
“If you like that sort of thing?” I focused on the part of her story not involving me. “Who doesn’t?”
“Me,” Jules said. “People who smile too much make me nervous.”
I laughed. “How many times have you said my positivity is your favorite thing about me?”
“You’re different.”
“Hold up,” Delaney interrupted. “I think we’re getting off track. Thanks for the background, Jules. But we’re missing a major piece of the puzzle. Namely, Beck’s feelings for Mae. The whole ‘never date the neighbor’ thing.”
I froze. Put down my coffee mug. Stared at her.
“The whole… what, now?”
Delaney’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my God,” she said, her words muffled behind her hand but still clear enough. “Shit.” Heard that too.
“Delaney?” My pulse raced.
Her hand dropped. “You obviously know about the bachelor pact. I thought you and Beck were”—she crossed her index and middle finger—“like this.”
“I do know about it.”
“And the rules?”
“Yes, I know about the rules. All three of them. Never stay the night. Never fall in love. Never say ‘I do.’”
Jules watched us go back and forth as if watching a ping pong match.
“Four of them,” she whispered.
This couldn’t be happening.
“I am so sorry. I had no idea you didn’t know. Parker never told me not to mention it to you.”
“He is a guy,” Jules offered. “Details aren’t their strong suit.”
Delaney didn’t appear mollified. In fact, she seemed properly horrified so I tried to reassure her.
“It’s fine. Honestly, you didn’t do anything wrong. Lock box, remember?”
She exhaled, clearly not convinced. “Beck will kill me.”
“Not before I get to him first,” I teased. “Tell me what you know.”
“Weeell.” She took a deep breath. “Just that one of the four rules is ‘never date the neighbor’ which was made specifically for Beck who, let me see if I remember what Parker said exactly… something about the fact that if you were ever into him it would be ‘game over.’ Which I took to mean Beck would break the pact.”
Not possible. “I don’t… this doesn’t make any sense. Beck doesn’t see me like that at all. He’s always treated me like a sister.”
