Page 61 of Betting on Lizzie

Lucy nodded.

“I told him I loved him on prom night.”

“You never told me that,” Lucy said.

“That’s because he never said it back. And then a week later, I found out he was diddling Rebecca Peterson.”

“I knew he ended up with Rebecca, but I didn’t know you loved him. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was embarrassed. At seventeen, I’m sure it wasn’t actual love. Just what I thought at such a young age. Anyway, it hurt me—crushed me, actually—and I vowed that wouldn’t ever happen again. I would never let myself feel too deeply, and I would always have the power in a relationship. If anyone was going to get hurt, it wasn’t gonna be me.”

“But then how will you ever find true love?”

Lizzie shrugged. Until now, her date-and-release policy had served her well. Ben had upended the cart and stirred up emotions no one else ever had. “Until three weeks ago, I didn’t believe in true love. Of all the guys I’ve burned through, no one’s made me think it possible. Ben brought up some…stuff.”

“Lizzie, you’re so amazing and have so much to offer. What if the ‘stuff’ Ben brought up is good stuff? Stuff that could change your life.”

“I don’t know,” Lizzie said. “What if I give him another chance and he hurts me again?”

“That’s a risk you take, putting your heart out there. But you’re tougher than anyone I know. And the payoff is tremendous.”

“I slept with him,” Lizzie said, knowing Lucy would come out of her skin.

“I knew it!” Lucy clapped her hands together once. “I wasn’t going to say anything until you brought it up, but I could tell. Details.”

“You know I’m picky when it comes to that—very picky. But he was just…I don’t know…irresistible. He’d gone into this burning building and saved a dog and was like all hero-y or something. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but obviously, it was a mistake.”

“The fact that you let him get that close should tell you something. It tells me something.”

“Oh, yeah. What’s that?”

“I already said. You’re in love, dingbat.”

“Harrumph.”

“Is he around?” Lucy asked.

“He said he was spending Christmas in Knoxville. His parents live there.”

“Maybe he’ll call when he gets back. You should talk to him when he does.”

“You sure you’re not just pushing me because of the betting pool you all have going about when I’ll settle down?”

“What?” Lucy’s voice went two octaves higher. A sure sign of guilt. “How’d you find out about that?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Lizzie said. She’d overheard Nana and Kate talking about it.

“Nana,” Lucy muttered. “Don’t be mad. It’s all in fun. We just want you to be happy.”

“I know. And I don’t care. I just hope you didn’t put odds on ‘anytime soon.’”

Jack came in, holding a fussy baby. “Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “But someone’s hungry, and I don’t have the necessary equipment to feed him.”

Lucy extracted herself from the chair and went to them. “I’ll feed him, then we can go. It’s getting late anyway.” She shot Lizzie a look that said the conversation wasn’t over, merely tabled for now.

Lizzie roused Charlie, bid farewell to her parents and Bella, and left. She drove home thinking about what Lucy had said. About her loving Ben. Lizzie was pretty sure she wouldn’t know love if it walked up and French kissed her. But she trusted that Lucy knew her—maybe better than she knew herself. A month seemed way too short a time to fall in love, but then again, it had only taken Lucy and Jack a hot minute.

After feeding Charlie, she went to the refrigerator for a water bottle, but stopped before opening it. Pictures of her sisters’ growing families hung from liquor-themed magnets.

---