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He stared at me a moment, and when I didn’t move from my spot by the door, he arched his brows. “And . . .”
“Did she say anything to you about us working together?”
Ethan chuckled and flicked his bangs out of his face. “Do you really wanna know?”
“Right. No, forget I asked.” My mouth flattened into a thin line. I couldn’t even imagine the rant she’d likely gone on after I whacked her with the ball and threatened her stellar academic reputation. “I’m surprised she’s not over here, hanging out.”
“She and Ella had a planned Zoom call, so she’s coming by later. Why?” He narrowed his eyes, his tone suspicious.
“Just wondering.”
“You’ve asked a lot of questions about her. It sounds like you’re prying.”
“What? No?” I screwed up my face.
“I call bullshit.”
I rolled my eyes and decided a deflection was needed, a change in subject to water down his suspicions. “Hey, I saw you talking to Olivia in the hall today. What’s up with that? Are you interested?”Because it would be amazing to get her off my back. And if it came with the added benefit of pushing him further away from Mia, so be it.
“In Olivia?” Ethan nearly choked on the words. “Um, no. That chick scares the crap outta me.”
“I don’t know,” I teased. “From where I was standing, you two looked pretty close.”
“That’s because she cornered me in the hall and peppered me with several questions about you, and then proceeded to suck up to me in an effort to get me to persuade you to ask her to the Snowflake Ball. That girl’s thirsty with a capital T.”
I groaned. There go my hopes and dreams. “Tell me about it. That girl’s less tactful than a freight train, and it’s taking all of my energy just to avoid her. Meanwhile, I’m ninety-nine percent sure she already told someone else she’d go with them. She’s going to get my ass kicked.”
Ethan laughed.
“Seriously. It’s not funny, man. She even accosted me at six a.m. before my morning swim with snowflake shaped cookies “just because,” like everyone hasn’t been filling me in on how she’s been practically campaigning for me to ask her. Then she stayed the entire time. I swear I could feel her retinas burning straight through the water into my skin.”
“So ask her.”
I glared at him.
“What? It would get her off your back, at least.”
“Yeah, no. Not my type.”
“So what is your type? You haven’t dated anyone in over a year and never anyone you seriously liked.”
“Look who’s talking.”
“Hey, at least I have a date for the dance,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, your best friend doesn’t count.”
“What? She’snotmy best friend.”
What was he saying?
My heart thundered in my chest as I sucked in a breath and stared at him, waiting, frozen with fear save for my frantic pulse. This was the moment I’d been waiting for all these years. The one when he finally confessed his feelings for Mia and revealed they were more than friends.
“So you admit it?” I choked out, unable to take it any longer.
His brow creased. “What are you talking about? Admit what? I’m going with Beth, not Mia.”
The breath whooshed from my lungs. “Beth?” I asked like I’d never heard of the name.
