Page 101 of Home of the Brave

Madi put her hand on my back, ushering us toward the table. The table was set for four. Not three.

Four because it wasn’t just a dinner with her and Erik. Nope. This wasn’t a catch-up with friends.

It was a setup.

Erik and Josh stood when we got to the table, and Josh quickly pulled out my chair as Erik did the same for his wife.

The wife I thought of approximately a hundred seconds ago as a friend.

Erik threw me a cautious smile, and I hoped he read the threat in my eyes. There would be payback.

“Hi,” Josh whispered over my shoulder, and I turned my head enough to smile. “I didn’t know you were coming either.”

That made me feel marginally better. He wasn’t in on this.

It was a setup by the other two.

Once the guys sat, I looked between the guilty parties. “What is this?”

Erik’s eyes widened at the same time Madi nearly snorted out her water.

“A dinner with friends,” Erik lifted his menu to cover his face.

“Coward,” Madi rolled her eyes before focusing on me. “Look, we like both of you very much. Consider you both friends. You went from being happy together to. . . not as happy apart.”

“It’s been two days,” I blurted as the server arrived.

He gave me a strange look before asking for our drink order and disappearing.

“More like three,” Josh finally spoke. “I mean, we didn’t really see each other on Wednesday––”

“There’s only a week left, so we’re working at an accelerated pace.” Madi interrupted. “Two days––” Josh opened his mouth, and she huffed, “Fine, we’ll go with two and a half days. That’s like two months in normal time.”

“I don’t think––” I tried, but she cut me off with a glare.

“You two have undeniable chemistry. You like her,” she pointed from Josh to me. “And you like him.” Her finger moved in the opposite direction. “So that is not the problem.” She leaned toward me. “Then what is?”

We were doing this? In front of Josh? In public? My chest was hot, and I knew my cheeks were bright red. “Madi.”

“He’s willing,” she checked with Josh, who whispered a yes. “Ball’s in your court.”

“Or puck’s in your zone,” Erik offered, but was immediately shushed by his wife.

Was this a nightmare? A waking dream? I’m pretty sure I could think of a couple of worse situations, but not a lot.

“Madi, it’s not that simple.”

“Of course it is.” She leaned back as our drinks arrived and hurriedly ordered family-style dishes for all of us to share. “Josh, do you want to date her?”

“Yes,” he gritted out. “But not by force.”

I wanted to reach out to him under the table, but held back.

“See, it’s up to you.”

“We live on opposite sides of the country,” I finally dump out the reasons that stopped me from letting myself feel more for him. “He has a chaotic schedule, and I’m actively pursuing a contract with an equally crazy schedule that will not line up at all with his. As much as I like Josh, and recognize that we do have some pretty powerful chemistry, there are outside forces we cannot control. If we start something now, I know I’ll get attached. I’ll grow deeper feelings, and it won’t work out. Why set myself up for hurt?”

I let out a breath and fell back in my seat, staring at the clear glass in front of me. I didn’t want to see any of their reactions. This was when they’d argue that long-distance relationships could work, and they’d be right. Some of them can.