“What?” I snap. After this whole ordeal, interrupting Rumi and me, orchestrating this whole plan, scheming with Ava, she’s just not going?
“Don’t get me wrong. I love the movies—didn’t read the books though—but I don’t want to be a fifth wheel.” She turns to Ava. “If Anderson ditches, let me know. I’ll be your date.”
“Who said anything about dates?” Rumi exasperates, her skin goes hot. I can feel it even through the fabric of her shorts.
Emerson and Ava both look at Rumi and tilt their heads as if to sayseriously?The corners of their mouths twitch with what I can only assume is suppressed sarcasm.
Again, it’s no wonder they hit it off so well.
Rumi looks up at me for backup, but even I can’t pretend to not see what’s happening here. With her cheeks the prettiest shade of pink, she looks down at her feet, and I don’t care that we have an audience. “What is it, pretty girl? Don’t want to go on a date with me?”
“Are you asking me on a date, firefighter?” she asks, her voice soft and breathy.
“Absolutely not,” I answer. “I’m accepting this date that your friend and my sister planned for us.”
Rumi laughs as Emerson and Ava walk around us, heading to Ava’s car, and I’m thankful for the reprieve of their knowing eyes.
“But, if you’ll let me, I’d love to take you and Evee on a date tomorrow.”
Rumi’s eyes slightly widen. “Are we sure that’s a good idea?”
“I’ve never been more sure of something.” The answer comes as natural as breathing, even if I might not be so sure of how to navigate what the fuck is happening between us.
“Can I ask you something?” she asks, her pretty blue eyes shimmering with golden flecks from the sunset.
“Anything.”
“Are we sure this is a good idea? It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date, but I’m pretty sure it’s not something friends do.” The word “friend” makes my skin prickle, the thought of Rumias my friend—while intriguing when I first met her—now makes me irrationally angry.
Instead of admitting this to her, I say, “You don’t sound too enthusiastic about going on a date with me.”
“Would you like me to scream my acceptance instead?”
The laugh that escapes me makes her lips roll together, trying to fight a smile of her own. “I’m still waiting to hear it to begin with actually,” I tease.
Her smile falls slightly. “Friends don’t go on dates.” She’s trying to keep distance between us, distance that sounded good when we first met but not anymore. Not after I felt her lips on mine, not after I learned what it's like to have her in my arms.
I want nothing between us.
Unless it’s Evee.
“Then it’s a very good thing I plan to be more than just your friend, Rumi.”
CHAPTER 26
RUMI
I’m goingon a date with Jack Hasting.
I’ve said it over and over again to myself until I fell asleep last night, continuing to repeat it as I used my day off from the coffee shop to run errands with Evee while Ava was at work.
And it still hasn’t hit me.
I thought I was nervous to be around him before?
It’s almost laughable compared to how I’m feeling now.
Last night was unexpected in the best possible way, and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about kissing Jack before yesterday. But the thought always seemed too much of a dream, something too good for real-life—especially because we established that we were friends when we first met almost a month ago.
