Page 79 of Good Boy

She laughs. “Blake, seriously? You’re heading out on a week-long road trip, where I’ll bet you’d rather be single.”

“Nope. I’m going to text you every night. You’ll see.”

“We’re not dating,” she says. Except she’s cuddling me with her entire naked body and stroking my chest lovingly with one hand.

“Want to eat ice cream in bed?” I ask.

“Yeah,” she sighs, the arch of her foot stroking mine.

Silly Jessie. We are dating. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Chapter 25

I’ll Be in My Bunk

Jess

After all the stress I’ve been under, it’s weird to have a week off. I’m so fried that I spend the first day watching videos on my laptop of cats riding Roombas. After a few hours in this vegetative state, I realize my dorm room is awfully lonely. I even miss Violet, who has gone back to wherever perfect nursing students come from.

That night, I bask in the luxury of eating a falafel alone in my room. Violet isn’t here to yell at me, so that’s something.

At ten o’clock, I receive a text from Blake. Hi, girlfriend! I just wanted you to know I’m turning in for the evening. Alone. Because we’re dating.

I’m not a total jerk, so I reply: Hey there! How’s Chicago? I’m turning in too. Alone. Because that’s how I roll.

I miss you, he writes.

And now I don’t know whether to be honest. I miss you too, I admit. But that doesn’t mean we’re dating.

Blake: We are though.

Me: Good night, Blake.

Blake: Good night, girlfriend.

***

The next day, I take a yoga class first thing in the morning and then undo all my good work by spending the afternoon worrying about my exam grades.

I should have gone home to California, and I would’ve if my credit card didn’t hate me. I’m not the type of girl who likes to be alone. I need people around me. The nice word for this is “social.” But another view on it is “needy.”

In fact, the reason I hooked up with Blake in the first place was out of loneliness.

So I hang out the next evening with Jamie, who also seems at odds. “I got used to having Wes around,” he admits. “Now that the season has started up again, I guess I have to remember how to be alone. Here’s a tip for you—fall for someone who doesn’t travel seventy nights a year.”

My face heats. “I guess Hozier is out then,” I joke.

“Mmh. Some guys are worth it,” my brother says. “Yum. That voice. He’s a little skinny, though. I like ’em meatier.”

So do I, apparently. “I don’t know if I can get used to you perving on men.”

“Hey, I’m married. I can’t steal your boyfriend.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I say quickly.

Jamie gives me a quizzical look. “Joking.”

“Right.”

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