Page 84 of Choosing You

“Well, for one, it kind of goes against the whole friendship agreement. You don’t usually spend the night with your friend in the same bed.”

He considers it. “Well, what if you weren’t just my friend?”

“What do you mean?”

“What if we were more than friends?”

“We’re not allowed, remember?”

“I don’t give a shit about that anymore.”

“Garret, you made this big deal about how your dad has to approve of any girl you go out with.”

“I’m sick of playing by the rules. My dad. Katherine. His society friends. They can all go to hell.” He picks up my hand and kisses it. “So what do you say? Will you go out with me?”

“I go out with you all the time.”

“Never on a date. We’ve only gone out as friends. I’m asking you out on a date.”

“Is this just your way of forcing me to let you pay for breakfast?”

“I already pay for breakfast per our agreement.”

“That’s only on Sundays. Today is Saturday.”

He sighs. “Fine, you can pay for your own breakfast. But breakfast doesn’t count. I want to take you out on a real date.”

“And you think that’ll make me spend the night here again?”

He throws his head back. “How many questions are you going to ask before you answer me? It’s just a date. It’s not that complicated.”

I pretend to give it some thought. “Okay. Yes. I’ll go out on a date with you. One date. That’s it. If you’re not too annoying or I’m not bored out of my mind I might consider another one after that. But I’m not making any promises.”

He rolls his eyes. “I’ll do my best.”

“And I might consider sleeping next to you again, you know, if I get cold, which is possible because it’s almost winter.”

“You just can’t give a straight answer, can you? You have to have conditions along with an insult or two.”

“I’m just keeping your ego in line, pretty boy.”

“Pretty boy?”

“Yeah.” I laugh. “That’s what Ryan calls you by the way. I don’t think he’s ever used your real name.”

“I’m not a pretty boy. What the hell?”

“Yeah, you are. Perfect face, perfect body, perfect teeth. It’s annoying.”

“Huh. That almost sounded like a compliment.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. See? Your ego’s still too high.” I get up from his lap. “I need to eat. I’m really hungry.”

“Okay, I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

When I return to my room, the letter is sitting there on the floor where I left it. I’m tempted to read it again but I don’t want to. Reading it will take away how good I feel right now. I’ve just had one of the best nights of my life after one of the worst nights of my life. I don’t know how that’s even possible.

Last night at the party I was at an all time low and somehow Garret made it better. More than that, he made me feel something even after I tried so hard to feel nothing. He made me feel wanted and needed and not at all alone. I don’t understand how someone can affect me that way, but I don’t want that someone to go away.

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