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I like to be surprised.I like to see how life’s twists and turns unfold. I’ve always played my hardest, but I didn’t care about the outcome.
This time, with Gemma, I care about what happens with us.
A lot.
I care about our future. It’s frustrating to care this much.
Uncomfortable.
Scary, even.
I want this thing with her to go a certain way. I want towin,when it comes toher. She’s worth fighting for, so I have to try.
This doesn’t come naturally to me—making strategies. But, with Queenie on my lap and a bowl of cereal in front of me, and two hours before I have to leave the ski house to pick up Ransom from work, I try.
Gemma’s worth it.
After racking my brain a little more and stewing in my frustration, I grab my phone and dial my little sister.
“Finally,” she huffs, when she answers. “I have been waiting forever for you to call me back. What is so hard about picking up a phone, anyway? Oh my gosh, what is that slurping sound?”
I lower my spoon. “Sorry. Getting calories in before coaching. Hey—question.”
“This better be about Gemma.”
“Yeah.”
“You aresuchan idiot, messing with her.”
“I’m not messing with her, Carly. I’m into her.”
“If you hurt her, I will punch you in the throat.”
“Whoa. Dude. Aggressive much?”
She groans. “Sorry—just finished battling rush hour traffic. Terrible work day. Andyou! You are screwing with my best friend, and she’s a wreck over it.”
“How do you know she’s a wreck?”
“Um, the Nikko Show? She’s totally flustered, obviously still in crisis mode. Plus, we’ve beenbest friendssince we were two…? That’s how. We talk. Unlike you, Gemma calls me all the time. We were on the phone for an hour this afternoon. You understand she’s currently turning her life upside down all because you’ve been putting on your Perfect Parker act for her, right?”
“I’m not putting on an act. I’m being real.”
Half of what my sister just said made no sense to me.
The name Nikko’s only vaguely familiar, and I can’t place it.
“Hey, maybe I shouldn’t have called.”
“Wait. Wait…” Long pause. Hopefully, she’s putting her claws away. “Sorry, again, It’s just—you don’t get it. The effect you have. You do your thing, and women fall all over themselves, and even when you don’t mean to, you cause a lot of damage. You can’t see it, but I’ve been watching it happen over and over and over. I don’t want to see that happen again when it comes to you and her.”
“I know, I know…” I rub the stubble coming in on my chin.I don’t want to hurt her again, either.
“You said you had a question for me, right?”
“Yeah. What should I—” I rake my hand through my hair.
Man, this is tough.
