Page 96 of The Accidental Text

Chase:I never realized how boring Phoenix is until I decided to be adventurous.

Maggie:Yes, you’ve got to travel to do the really crazy stuff.

Chase:Tell me something you’ve never done.

Maggie:Hmmm

Chase:How to impress the girl that’s done everything …

I try not to read into that, although my hormones did not get the note. Neither did the butterflies in my stomach.

Maggie:Short of hiking Everest, I don’t know what to tell you.

Chase:Everest it is!

Maggie:Hard pass

Maggie:I’ve actually never tried heli-skiing.

I send him one of those shrugging emojis.

Chase:I don’t even know what that is.

Maggie:Helicopters that take you up to remote places to ski. It was on my mom’s list.

Chase:Might be a little warm for that.

Maggie:Wait. I’ve got one. I’ve never been in a hot-air balloon.

Chase:Really?? Seems kind of basic.

Maggie:You’re basic! Always seemed kinda romantic to me.

I throw that line out there. I want to see if he catches it.Romance, Chase.

Chase:Yes, with a third wheel. Someone has to fly the balloon.

Line not caught. But also, he has a point.

Maggie:Well, maybe you should save up all your nerves until your big jump.

Chase:But I want to do something else. Just one thing more. With you.

I feel a fluttering in my belly. I could tell him I’ve got a perfect adventure for him: return my feelings and let’s see where it takes us. Feels like a daring thing to do for both of us.

Chase:I’ll think of something. Be ready on Saturday.

Maggie:I’ll be ready.

Chapter 27

“You were right,” I say, standing in front of Dawson. It’s Monday evening and I was just about to leave work when he came into my office to say hi. It was good timing because I needed to talk to him and I had been avoiding it all day. Like the chicken that I am.

I didn’t jump right into it. First, I asked him how his day was, and we went back and forth with the small talk. And then I took a breath and told him he was right.

“Right?” He crinkles his brow.

“I might have feelings for Chase,” I say. Not might—I definitely do. But Dawson doesn’t need to know that.

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