Page 25 of Camden

She tilted her head and spoke slowly. “You agree with me.”

“Yes.”

“But you said you just ‘decided’ to go for it.” Ry’s use of air quotes made me want to chuckle, but I refrained.

“I did. But I meant asking her out. I’ve had a thing for her for almost a year now.”

She rolled her eyes, unimpressed. “You didn’t even know her a year ago.”

“You know, I had this exact conversation with Stephanie.” I rubbed the back of my neck.

“Well, she hasn’t told me about that yet. Don’t worry, I’ll get it out of her too, but why don’t you go ahead and tell me your side?”

“Remember how I met her the day you moved in here, right?” I asked.

She nodded her head.

“Well, I’d already seen her at Stacey’s Cafe months before that. Countless times. She always intrigued me, but I never made the move to introduce myself.”

“Why not?”

“I could tell that she wasn’t the type of girl that you hook up with.”

“She’s not.”

“I know. But I wasn’t looking for anything serious at the time. Stacey was going through treatments and honestly, a relationship seemed like a lot of work, so I never made a move. Then I met her that weekend and it was like a switch flipped. I wanted to get to know her. I put myself in her orbit whenever I could. I’ve been thinking about it dating her. I just never acted on it.”

“Until the wedding?” She clarified.

“Until the wedding.”

Her eyes glistened a little. “That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” Rylie placed a hand on her chest.

“Dude. She’s emotional.” Asher said.

“It’s the pregnancy hormones. They’re a bitch.” Mason said.

Rylie’s head reared back, almost smashing Mason’s nose. “Excuse me?”

“I said the hormones are a bitch. Not you. You’re never a bitch.” Mason calmly rubbed her back.

“You told her all of that.” Rylie focused her attention back on me.

“More than that.”

She smiled. “And she said no?”

“She said she couldn’t yet, but maybe one day. So, I asked her out again at the fair and this morning.” It only damaged my pride a little to admit to being turned down three times in front of Ash and Mason, but I wanted Rylie’s support.

“Well? What did she say?” She asked excitedly like she hoped it was going to be a different answer. Clearly, it wasn’t.

“She said she couldn’t.”

She hummed and chewed on her bottom lip. “You know Steph hasn’t had the best past.”

“Some. Care to expand on that?” I moved to the edge of the couch hoping to get some small shred of information.

She shook her head. “Nice try. That’s her story to tell.”

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