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“You…” he prompted, raising his eyebrows in silent question.

“Why do you look at me like that?” I asked, changing the topic.

“Like what?”

“Like you have all the time in the world for me. Like you have endless patience. Like you’re willing to try to understand my messed up thoughts, when even I can’t understand them.”

“Because I do have all the time for you, my patience is second to none, and I probably won’t understand, but I can listen anyway, can’t I?” he shot right back, not missing a single beat. “Come on, Gabby. There’s nothing you can’t tell me.”

“Why is that?”

“Because…”

“Because…?” I prompted, mimicking him by raising my eyebrows at him.

“Because you’re one of my closest friends.”

“Is that all I am?” I pressed.

“What else would I be?”

“Gotcha,” I nodded, and started walking again. I didn’t get far before Luke was grabbing my wrists and pulling me back to a stop.

“What am I saying wrong here, Gabby? You set the boundaries. I’m abiding by them. What am I doing to annoy you?”

“What boundaries did I set?” I asked, completely and utterly confused.

“Last year. The night of your date with Darren. I told you I was jealous, but you went right back on a date with someone else not a week later. I asked if we were friends that night, and it was you yourself who said yes. I laid my cards out and gave you the opportunity to say you wanted to be more than friends, or tostop making me jealous… you chose not to. Or have I completely misread something?”

“You haven’t just misread something!” I snapped, feeling exasperated. “You’ve been reading an entirely different book!”

“So you don’t want to be my friend? That’s what’s been bothering you?”

“If all men are this fucking simple, I think I’ll just give up on them now!”

“Oh, good, you’re angry again. This is a pleasant evening.”

“I’m jealous, too, Luke! For months, all I’ve heard about is the girls you’ve had, and the things you’ve been up to. I’ve heard it all, and I’m fucking jealous! Usually I have a few days to sort myself out, but tonight—”

“Tonight you heard about… the thing with me and Dante,” he said, deliberately avoiding using that word. “And you haven’t had time to process?”

“I haven’t had time to process,” I whispered back.

“What is it that’s bothering you? The fact that there have been other girls, or the fact that it wasn’t you?”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No. Because if it were just other girls in general, you might be jealous of the time they’re spending with me. Time taking away from us and our friendship. But if you’re bothered that it’s not you, because you wanted it to be you… that makes the world of difference.”

“I—”

“Because I was bothered that it wasn’t me,” he said, moving closer to me. “When I’ve heard about you and other men—and Ihaveheard, Gabriella—I’ve been jealous. I’ve wanted it to be me. I’ve been waiting for you to choose me.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to be an option for me to choose,” I whispered back, looking up at him as I, too, stepped closer.

“I’ve always been yours to choose. Do you choose me now?” he asked, bringing his hand up to cup one of my cheeks, his thumb running over my jawline. “Or will you be okay once you’ve… processed?”

“I choose you,” I said, meeting his eyes with nothing but sincerity and honesty.