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“Right…” From the way Harper was staring at her, it was clear she didn’t agree at all. “You tell yourself that.”
“What else is there to tell myself? That I should have told him how I felt earlier? Maybe that way he wouldn’t be in love with someone else.”
“Now wait a minute,” Harper said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Who said he was in love with her?”
“Isn’t that how relationships work?”
“Not at first, no. They start off with flirting. And Rachel was doing a lot of that today. Breck not so much. He responded to her, smiled at her at the right times, nodded his head when she spoke, but he didn’t initiate anything. If they’re a couple it’s her doing the driving. And it’s very early days.”
Caitie frowned. “You got all this from watching them interact?”
“I’m a people watcher. It’s what I do to have fun. And I can tell you Breck isn’t in love with her, even if they’ve got something going on.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Caitie crumpled up the empty chip packet and tossed it in the trash. “He probably likes how uncomplicated it all is. She lives in Angel Sands and so does he. He likes surfing and she likes to watch. She isn’t a Holiday Consultant and he doesn’t like Christmas. Maybe they’re made for each other.”
“So you’re giving up on him?” Harper asked.
Caitie’s eyes caught hers. “I’m not the kind of girl who chases somebody else’s man. If he wants to be with Rachel I’m good with that.”
“His eyes followed you around all day. Wherever you went, that’s where he was looking,” Harper said nonchalantly.
“What?” Caitie whipped around to look at her.
“And I noticed you doing the same. Neither of you could keep your eyes off each other.”
“That’s not true,” Caitie protested.
“It was kind of hot, if it didn’t make me want to bang your heads together.” Harper grinned. “You’re both so oblivious to what’s going on. I’d laugh if it wasn’t so sad.”
“I did not look at him constantly.”
“Oh come on,” Harper said. “You couldn’t take your eyes off him. Even when we went around the table and all said what we were thankful for. You said you’re so happy to be surrounded by friends, both old and new.”
“Well I am happy.” Well, she was until she saw Rachel spending all that time with Breck.
“Yeah, but the way he smiled at you when you said it, I swear it could have turned the turkey to ashes. That man’s got a thing for you, even if he doesn’t realize it yet.”
“Oh, shut up.” Caitie shook her head.
“I say it like I see it, and it all fits. The phone calls, the protectiveness on your date, the way he couldn’t stop smiling when you were kind to his little brother. He’s got it bad.”
“Then explain why he’s dating Rachel.”
“I didn’t say he had any sense. He’s a typical man. I don’t know many guys who would turn down somebody so determined. And if you ignore the huge gap where her brain should be, she’s very attractive.”
“Don’t be mean,” Caitie told her. But she couldn’t help but smile. “I wasn’t kidding about them being better suited. I bet she doesn’t turn into a gibbering wreck whenever she’s near the ocean.”
“Oh yeah, she’s perfect on the surface, that’s for sure. But that’s all she is. Surface. But you’re the iceberg, Caitie. The still water that runs deep.”
“That’s why you’re my best friend,” Caitie said. “Because you only see the good in me. But this whole conversation is pointless. Whatever you think’s going on in your head about Breck and me isn’t true. I’m his friend’s little sister, the girl who looked after his brother one Christmas. That wasn’t attraction you were seeing, it was kindness.”
Harper shrugged. “You think whatever you like. Now are we going to watch this movie or not?” She took a bowl from Caitie and pushed the door to the living room open. “Hey everybody, who wants snacks?”
15
“Are you joining us for lunch?” Deenie asked, peering around the door. “Jeez, honey, the air smells stale in here. You should open a window or something.”
Caitie looked up. It took a while for her eyes to adjust. For a minute, her mom looked blurry. The result of too many hours staring at her laptop screen, tweaking her presentations and proposals.
