Page 70 of Catching Feeling

It’s been three days since I picked Viv up from her mom’s and asked her to come with me to the ball. Three days and I’ve barely seen her. She’s had shifts at the library while I had a game and then a conditioning session with the guys, so we’ve been passing each other in the hallway with no time for anything more than a quick kiss and small talk.

Needless to say, I can’t fucking wait to take her to the ball, and I can’t wait to see her in that dress.

“So… you and Viv…” Grant says, trailing off.

“Me and Viv are… roommates. Just like I told you.”

He scoffs. “Come on, dude. Admit it, you’re down bad for her. Hell, even if you don’t, we’re your best friends. We see it.”

Pulling my hat off my head, I sigh as I drag my hand through my hair. “It’s complicated. She’s… skittish, dude. Like a feral cat that’ll claw you up the moment you get too close.”

“I mean, you’re comparing her to a cat, so I can see why it’s complicated,” he adds cheekily with a smug grin, stroking his chin. “But continue.”

“Fuck off. You know what I mean. Yeah, I like her, and yeah, I want to be with her, but the second she feels like I’m getting too close, she backs off. It’s why I’m nervous about the ball. For one, because I’ve never really… wanted to be with a girl like this. I’ve never wanted a relationship until Viv. And I want this to be real, me taking her out, a date date, and not just under the guise of me needing a date.”

“Annnnd here we go again. I get it. You want to date her.” I flip him the finger and sigh.

“Look, you want my advice?” His elbows meet his knees as he sits up and props his arms, continuing when I give him a stiff nod. “Give her what she needs. If it’s time or taking things slow, do it at her pace. If she needs you in just a physical way, then be that for her. If you want to date her, then make yourself worthy of dating her. Be the person she needs, and the rest will just happen the way that it’s supposed to. Let it flow and be patient. It’ll pay off if she’s feeling anything like you are right now.”

My brow arches. Hmph. That sounds… like it’s exactly what I should be doing.

“Damn. You know, G, I think you’re secretly a romantic.”

I’m starting to think he secretly writes poetry in his spare time and definitely listens to “Cardigan” on repeat while he does it. He has way too much solid relationship advice for a guy who’s never been in a serious one.

He shrugs. “Women aren’t complicated if you simply pay attention. Listen, I don’t really know Viv all that well. But it seems like she’s the kinda girl who needs to have some control. So let her set the pace, and you follow.”

The tailor finishes my measurements and tells me I can take off the tux, so I step down off the fitting platform and go sit in the chair next to Grant. He’s right… that’s exactly who Viv is. Being in control makes her feel secure when everything around her is chaos.

“Thanks for the advice,” I tell him, reaching out and giving him a bump of my fist.

“It’s what I’m here for. One of us three has to be the one with all the brains.”

I scoff. “Yeah, and I’m definitely the hot one, so…”

Shit, I guess since I’ve got him here, now would be the time to talk to him about the other thing that’s been on my mind lately.

“I have something serious to talk to you about.”

“What?” he says, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Should I get Viv a cat?”

17

viv

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Isuck in a deep breath to calm the jittering nerves inside me as I drag my clammy palms down the soft material of my dress, peering into the mirror in front of me at my reflection.

There aren’t many times in my life that I can remember being this nervous, or maybe ever at all. I’ve never been to a fancy party, and most definitely not an extravagant ball that billionaires like Reese’s family attend. A combination of nerves and a flutter of anticipation weighs heavily in the pit of my stomach.

But my dress for tonight is… perfect.

It’s exactly what I would’ve chosen for myself had I been the one to choose, except I didn’t. Reese chose it all on his own.

And somehow, he picked a dress that feels more like me than anything I’ve ever worn.

---