Page 92 of Dear Ripley

“All this does is further convince me that you and Alicia are back together. Joel’s going to be stoked to hear.”

I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard him saystokedbefore. It seemed much more of a Joel word. Perhaps I wasn’t the only one spending time around someone who changed me.

“Joel isn’t going to hear anything,” I said slowly, “because there’s nothing to hear. Alicia and I had a conversation about the past and moving forwardas friends. That is all.”

That was technically true. That had been the general premise of the conversation. Mostly. Sort of.

Ekundayo laughed. “I talk to my friends all the time, and I don’t look like you do afterwards.”

I raised my eyebrows, staring him down. “Are we including Joel in that list?”

He froze, his eyes just a little too wide. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

I laughed. “You’re worse than I am. If you think you’re not every bit as obvious as everyone else is, I have some terrible news for you.”

“Oh, god.” He covered his face with his hands. “Does everyone know?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know ifeveryonedoes, but, as someone who knows exactly what it’s like to be mesmerized by a Burton, you’re not doing a great job keeping it a secret.”

He groaned before peeking at me from between his fingers. “Do you think Joel knows?”

I breathed a gentle laugh. “Deep down, probably, but if love has taught me anything, it’s that people, when they like someone, will go to extreme lengths to convince themselves the other person isn't interested. Some form of self-preservation, I imagine.”

“Wait, so, you think Joel is interested too?”

“I absolutely do.”

He thought about that while I made coffee—black, like it had been since Alicia left—only speaking again once it was ready. “That’s not possible. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah, so were Alicia and I, but, apparently, we were thesparklykind. And that’s not a concept we’re gatekeeping.”

For one moment he looked stricken before his face transformed into eager excitement. “So, you admit it? You know you and Alicia are into each other and everyone can tell?”

“Show me where I said that?” I said, walking back out to the front.

“Right there,” he squeaked, rushing to grab his coffee and follow after me. “Everything you just said.”

I sighed. “I admit that, once upon a time, Alicia and I liked each other, we were both in denial for a while, and, yes, we both… had a look when we’d been around one another.”

“And you still do.”

“Mm. Yes, perhaps theplotting to murder your exlook?”

“You watch too much TV,” he laughed. “And you wouldn’t murder her, you’d miss her too much if she were gone.”

“Perhaps, but I’d save tons on therapy bills.”

“Glad to know you talk about her all the time in therapy,” he said, so smug I could almost taste it in the air.

“Interestingly, you’re not the one I pay to psychoanalyze me.”

“Yes, I know. I’m not a psych major.”

“And aren’t we all glad? You’d be even more insufferable if you thought you were analyzing me with the whole world of psychology behind you.”

“You’re just upset because I’m right.”

“And you’re just projecting because you’re in love with Joel, and too afraid to ask him out.”

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