Page 16 of Body Shot

“She is,” Aiden says firmly. “She’s just shy.”

“How would you know that?” I demand. “You haven’t said two words to her today.”

“You can always spot the shy ones.” He shrugs. “And she’s super shy. Except when she was talking to Mr. Knight. Definitely not shy with him. But with you? She’s being cautious. My spidey sense tells me she had a bad experience with a guy and now she avoids us like the plague.”

I’m always amazed at guys who are that insightful.

It’s never been my forte.

If it was, it probably would’ve saved me a lot of heartache.

“This means she likes him or no?” Felix asks in confusion.

“I don’t know,” Aiden says. “I can read body language, not minds.”

“I prefer bodies over minds,” Jordan says.

“What happened to that stripper you were dating?” I ask, anxious to change the subject since I don’t need Jordan weighing in on my love life.

“That fizzled out,” he says. “I always get bored after a month or so. You know how it is.”

I did but I didn’t.

I do my share of hooking up on the road, and there was a woman I’d spent a lot of time with in Sweden, but that’s over now. Trying to trap me into marrying her canceled out anyfeelings I was beginning to have for her. That happened a year ago, and I’m just now getting past it. But my friends don’t know about it. In fact, no one knows except my immediate family. It had been far too traumatic to me, and generally speaking, I’m a pretty private guy.

“You and Hana have been hanging out some,” Aiden says to Felix. “What’s up with that?”

Felix looks slightly uncomfortable. “It is complicated.”

“You like her?”

“Yes. Very much. But…” He sighs. “I met someone when I was home in Quebec. We have agreed she will come to visit, and we will see what happens. I did not expect to meet someone like Hana.”

“Dude.” I give him a look. “You donotwant to be cheating with Johan’s sister.”

“We have done nothing!” he protests.

“Not cool,” Aiden tells him. “As someone who’s divorced, take it from me—cheating never ends well.”

“I am not cheating!” Felix throws up his hands and starts muttering in French. “We have no commitment…” More French. “…still deciding…” And more French.

“Dude, you know we can’t understand you when you go allvoulez vous couche avec moion us,” Jordan says.

I snort in amusement and Aiden throws back his head in a laugh.

“You want to sleep with me?” Felix asks Jordan.

Jordan rolls his eyes. “Yeah, that’s where I was going with that.”

We all laugh, including Felix, who then shakes his head. “I did not realize I would meet someone like Hana. Now I am…how do you say in English? Confusion?” He has a thick accent.

“Confused,” I offer.

“You should try being honest,” I suggest. “Tell her that you recently met someone, it’s not serious, but you’re supposed to see her in November. Or whatever it is.”

“December,” Felix says.

“Okay, so just tell her you like her, but you don’t want to lead her on until you know what’s happening with your other situation.”

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