“Just in case, what?” Ava challenges. “I’ve only ever seen Jack be gentle—maybe even a little scared—when it comes to Evee.”
“I know, but?—”
She cuts me off. “No ‘buts’. That’s just the trauma talking.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah. I wish it would shut the hell up.”
“It will,” Ava says with a smile, holding Evee’s hands so she can’t take off the socks she just put on like she always does. “Soon.”
“Not soon enough,” I mutter, pushing off the dresser and holding out my arms for Ava to hand me Evee. “You ready, lovebug?” I ask my daughter, and she gives me that two-toothed grin that you can’t help but smile back at.
“It’ll be great,” Ava says, scooting to the edge of my bed to stand up. “And like you said, you guys are just friends. There’s no need to be worried. It’s not like this is a date,” she says with a laugh.
My cheeks instantly redden at the thought of a date with Jack.
“Right?” Ava prods, standing up, and I feel the flush in my cheeks.
“It’s not a date.”
Ava eyes me carefully. “Do you want it to be one?”
I shake my head. “No, we’re friends. That’s it.”
“Okay,” Ava says, stretching out the word. “Then, you better get going. Don’t want to keep yourfriendwaiting.”
CHAPTER 20
RUMI
This was a stupid idea.
I should’ve never agreed to this.
Standing at Jack’s front door with Evee in my arms, her diaper bag over my other shoulder, I set the brown paper bag of the carryout order I picked up on the way here. Jack had mentioned dinner, and I don’t know if he heard me when I told him I was vegan when we made these plans, so I figured I would pick up food for us.
He texted me his address earlier this week, but we’ve only sent a few messages back and forth to confirm time and place—I wasn’t surprised to find out he’s not a huge texter.
I pace back and forth in front of the door, working up the nerve to ring the doorbell.
This is Ava’s fault. She’s the one who put all that date stuff in my head, and now I’m overthinking every little thing.
What if he already had plans for what to do for dinner, or what if he thinks plant-based burgers are gross? Trevor did.
What if I got the time wrong? What if he isn’t expecting me for another hour?
I pull my phone from my back pocket—it’s five minutes to 6 p.m.
What if the plans aren’t even for today? What if I have the whole day wrong?
What if I missed the text where he canceled? What if he’s not even expecting me?
I open up our text thread, needing to settle this anxiety before it swallows me whole, my mind spinning, magnifying each and every bad feeling I had about tonight.
Before I can click on his name in my messages, I hear the front door open.
“You made it.”
I look up and see Jack looking at me, holding the door open, and my mind goes silent.
