Page 48 of Catch and Release

“I’ll take that as a win.” Amanda sighed. “Listen, just go back out there and keep dancing with him. Let him make the moves. He’ll probably initiate kissing you or ask you to go back to his place. The ball is in your court, Willa. Turn him down if you’re not feeling it. But you deserve to have some fun.”

Layla nodded.

“I know it’s none of my business,” said the girl washing her hair in the sink, “but your friend is right. Plus, you’re like, stupid hot and you have a killer rack.”

God, Willa loved women’s restrooms at clubs.

“Okay. I can do this.”

“You can do this,” Amanda confirmed.

“Well, now that I’m here, I actually do have to go to the bathroom.”

Amanda and Layla left, and Willa got in line for the toilets. She absentmindedly pulled her phone out and noticed Shawn had sent her a few more texts. The first was about an hour ago.

Grams wanted me to tell you that she says hi.

He’d included a picture of Grams sitting in front of the TV with knitting in hand, grinning like Shawn had just told her a good joke.

Then 30 minutes later:

She somehow roped me into watching Mamma Mia with her. It’s actually pretty good.

And just a few minutes ago:

At the risk of sounding overbearing, I just wanted to check in and make sure you have a designated driver.

Rather than text him back, Willa decided she wanted to call him. It was possibly the buzz she had going that made her feel that way. It rang twice before he picked up.

“Willa?”

“How’s Mamma Mia?” she asked.

“One of the older ladies is singing a song right now,” he said. “The fancy one.”

“‘Does Your Mother Know?’” Willa responded, grinning. “Classic.”

“How are you?”

“I was dancing with a guy at Flora-Bama,” she said. “But now I’m in the bathroom.”

Was she trying to make him jealous? Willa knew she was. She was buzzed and slightly bolder than usual and wanted to see how he’d react. The line went silent.

“Anyway, don’t worry about me,” she continued when he said nothing. “I have a ride home.”

She was now next to go in line for the bathroom, and Shawn still hadn’t responded to her.

“Are you there?” she asked.

Willa was beginning to get frustrated, and she only had herself to blame for pushing. She wasn’t playing fair and she knew it.

A bathroom opened up, and she decided to put him out of his misery.

“Well, it’s my turn to go to the bathroom,” she said. “And by the way, it’s not overbearing. Thanks for checking in. I… honestly, I like that you’re looking after me.”

Then, before she could say anything else she’d regret, she hung up and went to the bathroom.

Shawn stood frozen on the back porch, trying to digest everything he’d heard. She’d been dancing with another guy, and he had no right to feel the jealousy coursing through him. She wasn’t his. She wasn’t even his fuck buddy, though she’d basically offered herself on a silver platter for him. She was just his neighbor. His friend. He didn’t have any claim to her.

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