Page 82 of Where Roads Lead

“Ava was complaining about it. She said you’ve really been slacking off lately, and it all has to do with a girl you’re seeing.” Theo raised his brows pointedly. “You can imagine my surprise when the girl in question happens to be the one you told me to—what were your words? ‘Go for it.’”

“I’m not seeing her,” I said, more defensively than I intended.

“Relax, dude, I’m kidding.” He slapped my arm. “Don’t you think I know that?”

I frowned, not understanding.

“I mean, come on, you of all people dating some girl whose passing through town?” He shook his head. “Not in a million years.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, you’ve never been interested in dating before. Why would you start now?”

“I wouldn’t.”

“I know. That’s my whole point.” He rolled his eyes. “But, you being friends with her sort of works out perfectly for me.”

“It does?” I crossed my arms, leaning back against the counter.

“Yeah, I mean, you can be my ‘in’ now. Talk me up. Get her to agree to go out with me.”

I snorted. “If you think I, or anyone else for that matter, can get her to agree to do anything, then you really don’t know her at all.”

“Well, damn, Will. That’s the whole point of going out with her,” he said, exasperated. “But, on second thought, it would be nice to have a few talking points. What is she interested in?”

“I don’t know.” I stiffened. “I hardly know her.”

“Geez, Ava’s right. You are being kind of uptight lately. Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” I bit out, because what else could I say?

That I was rattled by the idea of him and Elsie going anywhere together? That I was pissed off that Ava was going out of her way to be rude to a girl who’d clearly felt the effects of her behavior?

That, although I’d only known her for two weeks, the thought of her sitting in a car with another guy—even my best friend—sat like a rock in my stomach.

For the first time in my life, I felt completely illogical. Possessive for reasons I couldn’t fathom. It wasn’t like me. And the thought of someone who wouldn’t even be here for very long being the cause of it made me realize how utterly stupid it was.

“She likes coffee,” I told him, to prove to myself it didn’t matter. “And, uh, movies that take place in New York in the fall? And she writes. I’m not sure about what, but there’s a good chance it might be a hate-letter toward me.” I thought with a smirk, remembering seeing my name flash across her document more than a handful of times. “Oh, and she has no semblance of stranger-danger skills, so that’s something to be aware of.”

“That was…oddly specific.” Theo blinked. “But thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” I said and turned to move on to the next task.

And really, I hoped he wouldn’t.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Elsie

It was official.

Somewhere along the night at the café with Will, I’d written the transition from Ellie and Hugh’s rivalry into a solid and real friendship.

Curse those café twinkle lights casting a sentimental glow over my heart.

But, of course, I kept the heart of their relationship intact—a constant exchange of witty banter coupled with a generous supply of dry one-liners, usually from Hugh.

Because that was the most exciting part to read about anyway, whether they were fighting or just engaging in some healthy bickering.