Page 25 of Getting Over You

My skin feels like it’s on fire. I turn my attention to EJ, his head bent as he surveys the menu. “Do you know what you want?”

“Avocado turkey burger with sweet potato fries, please.” EJ flashes a smile, looking up at me. I notice immediately that he has dimples in the same places as Cade, small dark indents splitting his cheeks.

“Taking me up on trying to be healthy,” Rory says, as she passes by with trays full of water glasses. “I’m proud of you.”

EJ’s ears go pink, and I wink at him when I notice. “They’re in love,” I tell Cade.

“I already know,” Cade sighs. “Trust me, I’m working on it.”

I’m laughing, giddy, as EJ says a nearly silent, “Am not.”

“Sure. Cade, have you decided?”

“Surprise me, baby,” Cade challenges.

Baby. He is the most impossible man. The most annoying, hard to handle, and even harder to understand—

My legs are Jello, and I place a hand discreetly on the table to hold myself up. I feel like I’m losing blood to my brain with every second I’m in his presence.

“Cade,” I warn. Knowingly, he winks.

Asshole.

When I walk to the window with their ticket, I find Rory waiting there.

“You’re doing a great job of not getting yourself into trouble,” she deadpans. “It’s obvious you and Cade don’t want to fuck each other.”

“We don’t.” I think back to the first night, sitting with Cade in the apartment. The way he said we would sleep together if I asked. “I don’t. I want to learn how to be the girl guys like Cade want, sure. But I don’t want Cade. I promise.”

Rory narrows her eyes at me. “Promise me you won’t.”

“Rory—”

“I’m serious,” she says. “Promise me. I care about you even though you’re driving me crazy, and I can already tell Cade is a walking disaster waiting to happen. I don’t want to see it happen to you.”

I nod. “I promise. I meant it when I said being non-committal is a deal-breaker.”

She cracks a small smile.

“I mean it,” I add, heat climbing to my hairline.

Her smile widens. “Uh huh.”

“I think,” Cade says as we sit on the couch in the apartment a few days later, “that you need a practice run.”

I turn to him. I feel so light in his presence, like anything goes. I don’t have to be anything other than myself. “A practice run of what? Having casual sex?” I joke.

He smirks, tugging teasingly at my ponytail. “No. I mean, picking up somebody. Why don’t I take you to the bar on Friday night so that we can do a warm-up? You can flirt and see how many drinks you can get for free.”

“So, you’re going to be my wingman,” I say. “Okay.”

“You asked for my help,” Cade reminds me. “This is me offering to help. Plus, you women are lucky. You’re the ones getting the free drinks.”

I sigh. “Can’t we start small? Get coffee and people watch while you give me pointers?”

“Are you nervous?” Cade chides. “Oh, you poor baby.”

“Cade!”

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