Page 20 of The Chances We Take

I sighed, slightly annoyed the one time I needed them to change the subject, they didn’t.“Guys, seriously. We’re just friends, nothing more. There’s absolutely nothing there.She’s great, but no. Isabelle and I aren’t going to be together.” I shrugged Mikey and Jake off, hoping this would kill the topic. Maybe it was harsh, but the last thing I needed was Mikey making suggestive comments to Isa. I didn’t even know if she thought of me like that, so it needed to be a conversation between us first.

Footsteps approached behind us, and I whipped my head toward them right as Isa laughed. “Yeah, no. We’re just friends. I can’t believe you guys ever thought there was anything more to it.”

I had just wanted them to leave me alone. But when she said she only saw me as a friend, I decided to drop the topic right there. Why ruin a good thing?

“Listen, Isa, I—” I wanted to apologize for everything that had happened. Clear the air.

She cut me off, but I didn’t think it was intentional, as her head whipped to the side. “Oh! I have to go, Reid, I’m sorry. I’ll talk to you later. We’ll have to work together anyway for the wedding planning so I’ll make sure your number is saved in my phone.”

“Oh, okay, yeah. Talk to you—” The double beep of the phone signaled to me that she hung up, and I sighed, my heart dropping a little. “Soon.”

CHAPTER NINE

isabelle

PRESENT DAY

The Death of a Bachelor

719-555-0137

Yooooo

Iignored the text that came through without opening my phone, assuming it was someone who had a wrong number. But then another text came in, and I realized it was a group chat.

406-555-0192

What the fuck, Mikey?

who is this?

Ells

First one’s Mikey. Second one’s Jake

thanks ells

Reid

Why did you make a group chatMichael?

Mikey

Wedding planning duh

Colter

The last person we need wedding planning help from is you.

Besides, what the fuck are you going to do to help at this point?

406-555-0142

You guys talk so fast wtf

Ells

Hi Haydie