AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We should,” I said without much confidence. “Because even if you were ready for another relationship, I doubt you’d have time for one. You work all the time, don’t you?”
“I mean, not exactly. I’ve been focusing more on work since I split with Annabelle, but I make my own schedule.”
“Oh,” I said. “Well, I’m pretty busy. With work and…”
“Your booming social life?” he asked with a grin.
“I have a social life, thank you very much.”
“Work friends?” Dean asked.
“I’m friends with Marley.”
“And?”
“And do I need a whole squadron of work friends? Marley is just the one I get along with. I mean, I talk to other people at work. I just don’t make time to hang out with them afterwards. Who has time for hanging out after work, anyway?”
“Not you, apparently. So it sounds like you’re the one who wouldn’t have time for a relationship. If you were ready to take that step, I mean.”
“I’d have time,” I said carefully. “I’ve really been thinking about our conversation in the car. About leaving the city behind. I’d have all kinds of time.”
“What are you saying, exactly?”
“What are you saying?”
There was a long silence. I could feel both of our tentative offers hanging in the air between us–like two extended hands, only neither of us was willing to close the final few inches and commit. The more I thought about making my thoughts clear, the more terrified I became.
My chest was in the grip of an invisible, massive hand. My lungs were squished tight until my breaths came in hollow rasps. I wanted to, but couldn’t make myself say the words in my mind.
Finally, Dean shook his head. “All I know is this guy I met on my run asked me to go fly fishing with him today. I’ve never done it, but always wanted to. I invited Curtis and Lane.”
The tension in my chest eased off and I could finally breathe again. Something had been right there for us to grab, but it passed again. The moment was gone, and that was probably for the best. For both of us. “That sounds fun,” I said.
“Want to come?”
“I can’t. I’m supposed to meet with Lizzie and Steph. Lizzie wants to get herself all dolled up in the wedding dress and have her hair done as a ‘dry run’ before the big day. Sounds exhausting, honestly, but I think it’s probably part of my sisterly duty.”
“Yeah, that’s too bad,” Dean said. “I guess we’ll catch up tonight, then?”
“Sure. Breakfast at The Spot was insanely good. I was kinda thinking of checking them out for dinner, too. You could join me, as long as you promise to be good and not flirt with all those pretty girls who seem to work at this place.”
“Hey,” he said, smiling and coming closer. He put a hand on my cheek and winked. “You know you’re the only pretty girl I’m flirting with this week.”
“Better be,” I said.
“Oh, of course. I’m fakefully yours, baby.”
I laughed. “Damn right you are.”
Dean had to head out before his fishing trip with the boys to meet with Maxwell Pollard for a work thing. Maxwell was staying by the big skyscraper known as “Stone Tower” in a luxury hotel with the rest of my co-workers. I hadn’t been out that way yet, but wanted to go soon to check in with Marley. I was hoping that yellow-toothed guy we’d seen at Dean’s talk wasn’t harassing her too much. Then again, if he was, I wanted all the juicy details.
Once I was alone again, I found myself turning over our conversation in my head. It felt like we had both been having a discussion beneath our words–one where we were flirting with the idea of giving things a shot. After everything my mom said, I was starting to wonder if maybe I really wanted that. I wondered what was holding Dean back. Did he really think I’d cheat on him or betray his trust like those other women had? Or was I simply not his type? A guy like Dean could have any woman in the world, and my insecurity couldn’t help asking why he would want me.
I may not know what I wanted. But I did know if Dean and I ever gave things a chance, I’d never betray him. I’d be his. Completely and fully. Maybe that’s why I was so scared to make a move.
I flopped down on the bed and sighed. I would’ve much rather known I was going fly fishing with Dean later. Watching Lizzie get dolled up in her dress for hours didn’t exactly sound like high entertainment, but it would at least be nice to hang out with both of my sisters at once. It had been too long since we were all together.
And in some ways, I guessed it was a relief to know I didn’t need to be playing the fake girlfriend show while I was with them. At least not until dinner tonight at The Spot, that was.
