Page 33 of Strictly Against Policy

“How so?”

“Are you always this shy?”

“Shy? I was shy?”

I could see her out of the corner of my eyes. Her brows crumpled in confusion.

“I’m used to you being reserved. Quiet in nature, but loud in presence,” I stated. “You’re so timid and soft spoken around the twins. If that’s not being shy, I don’t know what is.”

“O-oh, I didn’t realize you’d notice. I—” She paused, and I waited for her to continue. “Yeah, I suppose I was shy. I get really anxious when I meet new people, so I’m not good at making the greatest first impression.”

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the road; there was a stoplight ahead. It was true. She didn’t make good first impressions at all.

She continued to speak. “I’m probably even more awkward right now because . . . I used to have a crush on Andy back in high school, after all.”

CHAPTER 16

Lina

The truck came to such a sudden stop that my head nearly collided with the dashboard. We were at a red stoplight, but still.

“Sorry about that,” I heard Jonathan say. “But what?” His voice came out in a low hiss.

I looked at him, shocked to find him with wide eyes and parted lips. Before I could say anything, his lips pulled into a scowl.

“You’re in love with my brother-in-law?” His words spewed out harshly, jumping to conclusions before I could say more.

“No,” I interjected. “I had a crush on him back in high school.”

“Back in high school,” he repeated to himself.

The light turned green, but we weren’t moving. I was going to say something when an earsplitting honk got us going.

“High school was ten years ago,” said Jonathan quietly. “But you’re still shy around Andy. If you’re acting this way around him, are you sure you’re not still in love with him?”

My skin prickled with burning embarrassment. “I’m not in love with your brother-in-law, Jonathan. So, you can relax. I’m only shy because I had dreamed so much about him back then, and now it’s awkward to know him as an adult.”

Jonathan didn’t make a single sound for a long time. I peered at him now and found his lips pursed, his eyebrows furrowed.

With a drawn-out sigh, he whispered, “I guess it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Everyone was in love with the twins.”

“And you,” I added. “Everyone was in love with you, too.”

Jonathan stilled. I glanced at him, only to find him glancing at me for a split second before looking back at the road. The emotions tugging on his face were replaced by soft eyes and parted lips.

“Yet, you were the exception.”

“Not with Andy.”

“Even Lina Lee is no exception when it comes to Andy Hughes,” he said, nodding. “I honestly thought you meant you were still in love with him.”

“I’m not sure how you came to that conclusion, but no. What I felt for him was just a teenage crush. If anything, he made me realize I like nice men.”

I didn’t know why I was admitting this to Jonathan of all people. He should be the last person on the surface of this earth to even know this, considering how much he didn’t like me. But here I was—divulging it all to him as if he were an old friend.

“Andy’s not nice. He’s kind. There’s a difference,” said Jonathan. His tone was loving and tender when he talked about his brother-in-law.

I frowned. “What’s the difference?”