Page 38 of The Friend Zone

“Did I scare you, Bay?” I ask, a little afraid of the answer.

“No. I just… I think I have feelings for Jagger and for Cole.” Her eyes drift down when she admits that.

That last part surprises me. “Cole?”

She nods. “I realized it when I came back from summer break, but a part of me probably has had feelings for him all along.”

Fuck me. Topher must have known somehow. He really is the fucking devil. He invoked that ridiculous bro-code because he knows Bay and he probably knew she cared for Cole a lot more than in a friendly way. And I bet my signing bonus with the Heroes that he knew that Bay isn’t just the hookup type and if she slept with Jagger, that meant she cared about him too.

The problem now is where does that leave me?

I am falling for Bay and I want her to myself. I’m about to take everything back and take her home. I can’t be used again to make someone else jealous. I can’t get caught up in someone else’s drama. I’m sick and tired of getting my feelings hurt like this. Alexis was just a friend but her betrayal doesn’t sting any less because of it. She still used me and I can’t let that happen again.

I open my mouth to tell Bay that this is a bad idea. That I should take her home when Madame Svetlana’s predictions ring in my ear.

C, R, J.

Those were Bay’s soulmate letter. It could indicate one person with three initials or…

Cole, Ryker and Jagger.

The fortune teller talked about three marriages. Is it possible that the prediction didn’t involve two divorces but three relationships that ran parallel to each other?

Madame Svetlana also talked about mirrors. About Bay and her twin having a common destiny. Lakyn has three fiancés. Is it possible that Madame Svetlana saw the same thing for Bay?

I drew B and W.

Bay Woods.

My mind goes back to the rest of the prediction I got.

Success and happiness but the only obstacle is possessiveness.

Could that mean that I have to accept Bay’s feelings for my two friends and teammates to have Bay?

The real question is could I share Bay with them? I’m the possessive type, and I’m extremely competitive. But what if my only chance at happiness was to set that possessive streak aside like the prediction said?

Usually I’m just as skeptical as Bay when it comes to what can’t be explained with logic, but for some reason Madame Svetlana’s words struck a chord with me.

I cup her jaw, lifting her face to make her look at me. She’s so fucking beautiful. “Cinnamon, it’s ok.” The words tumble out of my mouth easily. “We can figure this out together. Just promise me that you’ll give me, us, a fair chance.”

Her voice is full of hope. “Really? You aren’t mad at me?”

I stroke the edge of her delicate jaw with the pad of my thumb. “Mad? No, never. You’re being honest with me and that’s all I ask.”

“Then I promise. I really like you, Ryker. By the way I don’t think Cole and Jagger reciprocate my feelings. I just wanted to be completely honest with you, if we’re going to see each other.”

Fuck.

That should make me happy and yet… guilt twists my insides because it’s clear that Bay has no idea why Cole and Jagger have been avoiding her. Jagger fucked up royally, but it isn’t up to me to decide if he deserves Bay’s forgiveness. I don’t justify his actions, but I know there’s some big extenuating circumstances. At the end of the day, Jagger was trying to protect himself and do right by the team, even if he went about it in the most misguided way known to man.

A part of me thinks that it isn’t my place to help Cole and Jagger mend things with Bay.

“Don’t be selfish. Possessiveness and distrust are the things that could get in the way of your happiness.”

Those were Madame Svetlana’s exact words.

I open my mouth before I can talk myself out of it. “Look Bay, I want us to date. But I think you should talk to Cole and Jagger too.”

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