Page 60 of Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs
That’s not an easy question to answer, and I should make one thing clear. “I’m not in love with her.”
Rick huffs a laugh.
“I’m attracted to her,” I correct. “And I’ve known her since we were teenagers, but dating has never been on the table.”
“But it is now?” Chase asks.
This conversation is making me feel tense when I don’t want to be. Rolling my shoulders, I try to find the best explanation. “It’s not that simple. Neither one of us wants to make things weird for her brother.”
Seth cocks his head. “So you’ve talked about it?”
“Not directly, no.”
“So, how do you know what she wants?” Chase asks. “I never know what women want.”
“Which is why you can’t get a date to save your life,” Emil says and then gives Seth a high five.
I groan right as my watch buzzes with a text, and since the guys start ribbing each other about their dating lives, I don’t feel bad about looking to see who messaged me.
Queens: Did you change my keyboard?
I grin. I can’t help it. Wiping my hands clean on my pants, I grab my phone from my pocket and type back a response.
Me: I wasn’t sure if you would notice.
Queens: I noticed.
Queens: I didn’t know that was a thing you could do.
Me: This one doesn’t keep the delete button by the send button, so I figured it might help.
Queens: Thanks.
“You’re texting her, aren’t you?” Chase says. “You have the look.”
I glance up. “What look?”
“The look a guy gets when he’s texting a girl he’s into,” Seth says, rolling his eyes again. “Dude, you’re clearly in denial.”
“I thought you guys were going to give me advice. We should really get back to—”
In unison, all three of them fold their arms, like they’re forming a wall against me.
“Nuh uh,” Emil says. “I don’t want to work with you if you’re going to be all lovesick. Why haven’t you talked about dating with her?”
Because she’s going out with another man tonight, though I don’t especially want to tell the guys that. “I’m too busy to give her the attention she deserves,” I argue.
Chase frowns. “Why?”
I gesture my arm around the grounds we’re working on.
Seth cocks his head. “I still haven’t figured out why you’re doing the work with us. I thought that’s why you hired us.”
“It is, but I like doing the work.”
“Why?” Chase asks again. “No one wants to do manual labor if they can help it.”
That comment catches me off guard. “Wait, then why do you work for me?”
