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“It’s only a phone call,” Sam said. “Are you afraid?”
When I didn’t answer, Bronte practically cooed. “You are. You really like him. Gemma’s in love.”
“Hey, whoa. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
Alex picked at my hair like a mother hen, pushing it behind my ears just so. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t know how to commit. Daddy issues.”
I plucked his fingers off where he fussed with my tank top. “That’s what Jason said. That I have daddy issues.”
Laney wrapped her hair up in a bun on the top of her head. “You do.”
“Iknow that, but I don’t wanthimto know that.”
“I think you should call him right now,” Laney suggested, and Alex agreed.
“I’ll even give you a fifteen-minute break to do it.”
I laughed, waving my arm around as if I wasn’t already on a break.
“Yeah, you should definitely call him,” Sam said.
Bronte pumped her fist, chanting, “Call him. Call him. Call him.”
The girls and Alex joined in.
“Fine!” I gave in with a growl.
A loud buzzer rang out, and Bronte glanced toward the sound somewhere behind her before smiling back at her screen. “I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
“Good luck,” Sam said in her singsong voice.
Laney waved at the screen. “Send us a picture. I need to see this Boy Scout in the flesh.”
With the FaceTime call ended, Alex folded his arms, his foot tapping on the linoleum. After a short stare down, I pulled up Jason’s contact and put my phone to my ear, pacing down the aisle. Alex tiptoed behind.
Jason picked up on the second ring. “Gemma.”
“Jason.”
“I’m glad you called.”
When I pivoted around, I collided right into Alex’s chest, and I nudged him out of the way as he bent down, trying to listen.
On his end, Jason said, “I assume you’re calling to make good on our bet.”
“You know what happens when you assume,” I told him as Alex tripped on my heels, following so closely behind. I pushed his shoulder, and he grabbed my wrist, forcing me to hold the phone so he could hear as well. “I could be calling you because I have an engineering emergency.”
“Okay, then. What’s the emergency?”
“There’s a huge pothole out front of the store that needs fixing.”
“I’m a structural engineer. Call the mayor, she’ll fix your potholes,” Jason said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “But first, do you want to come over tonight for dinner?”
Alex nodded enthusiastically, and I palmed his face. “Yeah, I’ll come over. My class ends at seven.”
“Call me when you’re ready. I’ll pick you up.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll ride my bike as long as it’s not raining. I’ll call you for directions later.”
