Page 37 of Now That We Don't Talk

Katie suddenly sits up straighter, a gleam in her eyes. “I’ve already picked out Vivi’s soul mate, anyway. She and Cash are perfect for each other. I swear, they are meant to be.”

Something sharp twists in my chest. I can’t explain it, butthe idea of Vivian with a random guy named Cash bothers me more than it should.

“Katie is the best friend a girl could have,” Vivian announces. “I should just let her make all my life decisions since she knows best.”

“Now that’s a great idea. I could totally do that,” Katie exclaims.

“Ohhh, are you sure about that?” I say, shaking my head.

“I’m kidding,” Vivian assures me.

“Boo,” Katie pouts. “But you know I’m right about Cash. He’s one of the good ones.”

“I can vouch for that,” Dallin adds.

Vivian grins. “Cash is dreamy.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Dreamy is overrated.

“And you have so much in common,” Katie reminds her. “You have the same interests. It’s a match made in heaven.”

Vivian nods, a polite smile spreading across her face. But something about her expression feels off, like she’s trying to convince herself. Maybe it’s just me being overly observant, but she doesn’t seem as excited about this guy as she should be if they were really destined to be together. I don’t say this out loud because I’m the last person who should be giving romantic advice.

The conversation flows smoothly through dinner, without any snarky remarks from either Vivian or me. Maybe we’re finally turning a corner? Or maybe I’m just hyper aware of every word and glance we share. It’s possible that this little crush I’m developing is keeping me on my best behavior. Either way, I find myself paying attention to Vivian in a way I never have before. For the first time, I wonder about the person behind the quick wit—the woman who has always been right in front of me for as long as I can remember.

After dinner, Katie and Vivian offer to drive me back to the park to pick up my car.

“Thanks for letting me crash your evening. It was fun,” I say as I slide into the back seat.

“Of course, you know you’re always welcome,” Katie replies warmly.

“Good to know,” I tease. “In that case, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me. You might even get sick of me.”

“Most likely,” Vivian replies.

I smirk, but she has no idea I wasn’t talking about Katie. I was talking about her. The realization hits me harder than expected—I want to spend more time with her. I just have no idea how to make it happen.

“We did make a promise to our friends to get along, Vivi,” I remind her.

“Exactly,” Katie chimes in, giving her a playful nudge.

“We are getting along,” Vivian insists. “We had sushi together and everything.”

“True,” Katie agrees with a nod.

“See? We’re growing as people. Good job,” I joke, holding my hand up between the seats for a high five.

Vivian hesitates for a few seconds before touching her palm to mine. The instant our hands connect, a jolt of something unexplainable shoots through me.

“This is the best day,” Katie squeals. “My brother is engaged, and you two are acting like friends.”

“It is a good day,” I admit, right as we pull into the park.

I step out of the car, turning back one last time. “Thanks again for tonight. I’ll see you both soon. We should take Kyle and Addi out to celebrate.”

“I love that idea. Let’s plan it,” Katie agrees.

As I close the door, I catch Vivian watching me. Our eyes meet for a moment, and she lifts her hand in a small wave. Ireturn the gesture, a feeling of excitement surging through me.

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