Page 47 of Thanks for the Memories
“Yes … and no.”
Well, that’s helpful. I attempt to pull away, but he tightens his arms around me.
“Wait, it’s not like that.”
“Okay, then what is it like?” I demand.
“It’s—” He shakes his head. “You’re my friend.”
Ugh.His friend.Just like I’m Dante’sfriend. That F-word is pretty miserable sometimes.
“Then why did you kiss me?” I snap. “And why are you so concerned about Dante’s feelings for me?”
He looks away, so I reach behind me and pull his hands off my waist.What just happened?He’s calling Dante an idiot for not putting more effort into pursuing me, and he just pulled away in the middle of what I thought was a pretty fantastic moment.
“I should probably go find Bethany.”
Jeremy grabs my arm to stop me. “Reagan, please don’t be upset.”
“I’m not upset,” I say, dabbing the corners of my mouth. I hurry away before giving him a chance to say anything else.
Why did he kiss me if he only thinks of me as a friend? Was it the alcohol? The challenge? We’re definitely attracted to each other, there’s no doubt about that. And holy crap, that kiss was so good.
If we were to pursue things, how would it affect our ability to work together? Maybe that’s what he’s worried about, and I can’t be upset at him for that. I certainly don’t want anything to interfere with my job.
The fact of the matter is—I didn’t want him to stop kissing me, and, in that moment, the last thing on my mind was work.
Chapter Thirteen
Jeremy and I manage to avoid each other following our surprising interaction on the top deck. Iguessyou could call it an interaction.
Luckily, there’s enough space and people on the boat for this not to be a problem. Both Lila and Bethany ask me what happened between us, but I’m able to temporarily convince them that we just talked about work. I’m sure they suspect there’s more to it, but they’re wise enough not to push the issue while he’s around. I plan on giving them all the details after we get home.
One thing is for sure, I end up having too many drinks, and for me that means two glasses over the course of the entire day. At least it helps to take the edge off so I can at least enjoy myself without worrying about my friendships with Jeremy or Dante.
I catch Jeremy looking at me multiple times, but he knows enough to keep his distance. At one point it looks like he’s coming toward me, but his friend grabs his attention.
Meanwhile, Bethany is basking in all the attention from Paul and his friends and is loving every second of it. Good for her.
“So, you and Jeremy were talking about work?” Lila whispers from behind me. “Nice try.”
I groan. “I really don’t want to get into it right now.”
“I knew it,” Lila exclaims.
Hah, she’s one to talk. “What about you? Are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you the last few days?”
She takes a sip of her drink. “It’s Jordan. He really wants us to be exclusive.”
“And you still don’t?”
She shrugs. “It’s not that. I actually adore him. He’s sweet and successful and handsome.”
“But?”
She sighs. “This is what I do. For some reason I’m afraid to let myself get serious. Maybe I’m too independent for my own good? I should probably just get a few cats and call it a day.”
“Oh no, you don’t,” I insist. “If you throw in the towel on happily ever after, then there’s no hope for the rest of us.”
