Page 35 of The Accidental Text

Chase:So there’s nothing going on? This is not the distraction I was looking for.

Maggie:Sorry to disappoint

Chase:VERY disappointing

Maggie:Well … I mean, nothing’s going on. He’s dating my employee now. Fun times.

Chase:Well … that’s a bummer

Maggie:It’s the story of my life

Chase:All the guys you’ve ever liked have ended up dating your employees?

That makes me snort laugh.

Maggie:No, just the guys I like always go for someone else.

Chase:Well, did you ever get to tell him you liked him?

Maggie:No, but I made it pretty obvious.

Chase:How obvious?

I think about this for a few seconds. I didn’t outright tell him, but Dawson would have to be an idiot to not know. He’s caught me staring at him more than once during our weekly staff meetings. I’m always all nervous and tongue-tied around him. I’m so obvious, I’m surprised Chelsea or Devon haven’t caught on. They probably have and have kept it to themselves, a secret joke between them.

Maggie:Obvious enough

Chase:Want advice for next time? In case he’s ever single again.

Maggie:Sure

Chase:Men are dumb

Maggie:Helpful

Chase:You have to spell things out for us.

Maggie:Like, actually spell things out? Should I have written him a note and asked him to check yes or no?

Chase:Pretty much

Chase:No, but you do have to be straight up.

Hannah is convinced that I’ve got this all wrong, that they aren’t dating, so at the anniversary party this Saturday, she’s going to play the role of my wingman. Or wingwoman, as she said she’d prefer to be called, before going off about the man-centric world we live in. She plans to check out the situation and find out what’s really going on.

Then I have to do her laundry for a week if she’s right. Joke’s on her. I do her laundry anyway. Doesn’t she wonder how her underwear is always clean? A magical fairy?

Chase:Too bad, though, about the girlfriend.

Maggie:Yeah

Chase:Unless all those pictures you posted on Insta are photoshopped, I’d say he’s a fool.

I feel my cheeks heat up instantly from the compliment. I’ve never thought I was unattractive, but I’ve also never thought of myself as super attractive. Just … cute. Like girl-next-door cute.

There were a lot of implications in that last text from Chase.

My phone beeps and I look down at the screen.

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