Page 105 of Give Me Perfect Love

“So, tell me about you and Bryce,” she says, looking over at me.

“What do you want to know?”

“How did y'all meet?” she asks.

“Well, we first saw each other at Red, the nightclub he owns. And then he and Jace stopped by the shop one morning, and that’s when we actually first spoke. He was an asshole,” I tell her with an eye roll. "Jace was as friendly as ever, of course.”

She laughs. “He’s a great guy, right?”

“Yeah, he is,” I agree.

She smiles and looks down at her beer for a moment, seeming to be at war with something as a deep line forms between her brow.

“You all right?’ I ask her.

She looks over at me. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” She clears her throat and smiles before gazing back at the pool.

“How did you and Jace meet?” I ask her.

She grins. “Grocery store, oddly enough.”

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah. We just hit it off,” she says with a shrug.

“Jace is easy to get along with,” I say.

“That he is,” she replies, taking a sip of her beer.

I like this girl. I’m so happy for Jace. The boy has been so lonely, and now he’s got someone who’s interesting and smart.

As the afternoon passes, we talk about her growing up in the city and what college was like for her while we hear the sound of Bryce and Jace on their bikes, zipping through the woods.

She asks about Red a good bit, and I’m sure to leave any parts out about the activities that go on below it.

We drink a few beers and have a few laughs, and I think this girl and I could be great friends.

I hope Jace doesn’t break her heart.

Chapter Thirty-One

Bryce

I hit the trails with Jace while Kat and Michelle swim and lie out by the pool. The day is hot, but the trees shade us as we ride. We climb over rocks and broken tree branches until we hit the hill that leads up to the clearing where our bench is.

Once on top, I remove my helmet, loving the way the breeze feels as it brushes through my soaked-with-sweat hair.

I need to shave this shit again, but Kat seems to like it.

“So, what’s up with you?” I ask Jace as he grabs his smokes from his pocket. He takes a seat and removes his helmet, too. I look out at the land below us before inhaling a deep breath.

“Shit,” he says, lighting his smoke.

“You seem to like this Michelle chick.”

He rolls his eyes. “You going to start, too?”

“What do you meantoo?” I ask.

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