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Me: I’m not.I text back before I even have the chance to come up with something wittier.
Jacob: Please. Is that why you ran from the patio like you were on fire?
Me: I had to pee.
Jacob: Bullshit, you were anxious. I could feel it. And see it. I saw your foot.
Me: That was nothing.
Jacob: That’s your tell.
Oh my God.My heart flutters in response to the fact that he noticed something so minute and now I’m realizing that the chaos I was trying to stay ahead of seems to be getting closer by the second.
Me: Do you like her?
Jacob: Do you care?
Me: Answer my question first.
Jacob: Why should I?
Me: You’re not in any place to negotiate right now.
I see the bubbles indicating that he is typing when Chloe interrupts my thoughts as she flushes the toilet. “Who are you texting?”
I look at her and let out a sigh, deciding that maybe I need to let her in on the mayhem going on in my head. “Jacob.”
“Obviously.” She washes her hands and stares at me through the mirror as she fluffs her hair. “He’s not into Georgina, Whit.”
“I know, he said that.”
She turns to face me and drags her hair through her fingers like she does when she’s looking for split ends. “The fact that he had to say that to calm your jealous ass down is a problem.”
“He didn’t have to!”
She looks up at me and away from her hair. “Oh? Is that why you stormed away when your mom came over to talk about their double date? Maybe your mom didn’t notice but I certainly did. Whitney, you can’t have it both ways.”
“I know! Jesus, Chlo.” My heart is already pounding when there’s a knock on the door, and I’m certain this time itisJacob. I open the door and there he is standing in front of it, blue eyes staring at me. His gaze is so intense I feel like he can read every thought in my head. His phone is in his hand and I can see our conversation still on the screen as he brushes past me and makes his way into the bathroom.
“We need a minute,” he says, staring at me. When Chloe makes no effort to move, his eyes flit to her. “You need to go, Chloe.”
I half expect her to put up a fight or say that it’s my decision but she just nods before looking at me. “You don’t have a lot of time.”
The door closes quietly behind her with the faintest click leaving us alone. He doesn’t say anything, he’s not even looking at me as he stares out the window. I’m getting anxious waiting for him to speak when he begins to pace back and forth in front of me. I follow him with my eyes, watching him get visibly more agitated with each passing second. He runs a hand through his hair and it’s the first time I’ve noticed a bit of gray peppered throughout his chestnut strands.Say something!I’m not sure if I’m talking to myself or to him but all I know is this silence is making me crazy.
I’ve just convinced myself that I should speak up when I’m against the wall with his arms caging me in. “Whitney.” He lets out a slow shaky breath. “You are… impossible. Did you just ask me if Iliked her?”
I go to respond when he puts a finger up. I listen because I don’t really have a response or a reasoning behind my irrational jealousy I’d have to explain.
“I wish I did like her.” His right hand moves off the wall and finds my face. His palm rests against my cheek as he drags his thumb under the space just beneath my eyes that are now welling with tears. “I wish I liked anyone. But I don’t.” He shrugs before shaking his head. “I can’t. Not while I’m still in love with you.”
A gasp escapes my lips and the sound sends his eyes to my mouth. He bites his bottom lip and my eyes follow the movement.
“Say something,” he whispers.
“I don’t know what to say.” And that was the truth. I feel like my mind has gone blank.
“Tell me to walk away.” I don’t speak. He drags his hand away from my cheek and I know the pinkness is coating my cheeks in response to his touch. His thumb finds my bottom lip and he strokes the skin gently. “Tell me not to kiss you.”
