Page 106 of Last First Kiss

“Thanks.” Jamie pauses. Pink crashes down his cheeks. He rubs the back of his head. “No one—” Another pause. “No one ever says that about me.”

“Sure, they do.”

Jamie shakes his head. “No, they don’t.”

“What about Denz?”

“From time to time.” Jamie hiccups out a laugh. “We were a little too busy watching rom-coms or talking about other things.”

“What about your parents or—” Jordan still can’t say her name out loud. “Someone else?”

“No one.”

“Well.” Jordan picks at invisible lint on his trousers. “Theyshould. You’re incredible, Jamie.”

He says it with a finality. Jordan’s not open to any other argument about how un-fucking-believably amazing Jamie Peters is.

They fall back into silence. Jordan’s phone pings. He ignores it. Jamie’s phone vibrates from somewhere underneath him. He doesn’t reach for it either.

Their eyes stay on each other instead.

It’s electric. Jordan feels the length of Jamie’s gaze move over his skin. He fights with every muscle not to shiver.

Jordan wants to scoot closer. To touch Jamie’s hand. The one that constantly holds his so easily, so naturally. It’s an itch Jordan wants to scratch again and again.

Even with pink, hazy eyes, Jamie’s stare doesn’t waver. He studies Jordan. Like he’s a puzzle and Jamie’s missing the picture on the front of the box. Like he can’t figure out how to piece it all together.

Inside, Jordan feels the same way.

Out of nowhere, Amy’s snort-giggle echoes all the way back to their end of the boutique.

Jordan blinks a few times. “Do you think she’s happy?”

“Who? Amy?”

Jordan nods once.

Jamie half twists to face him. His foot brushes Jordan’s ankle, a familiar action Jordan clings to.

“Yeah,” Jamie says. “She loves Sam. Wholeheartedly.”

“But is she happy giving up everything for him? For his family?”

Jamie considers. His hair’s styled differently today. Bangs smoothed to either side of his forehead. Deep wrinkles form in the middle. “I think,” he starts, “she’s an adult who knows what she’s doing. If she’s not happy now, she will be. Once they’re married.”

“You don’t sound sure.”

“I can’t predict the future.”

Jordan grins. “So, no latent psychic abilities?”

Cheryl will be so disappointed.

Quietly, Jamie says, with conviction, “They’re a good match. Maybe not perfect. But who is? Their love looks different from the outside. That doesn’t mean it won’t work out.”

Jordan chews on the inside of his cheek.

Is Jamie still talking about Amy and Sam? Or someone else?