Page 101 of Just Friends
We put our swimsuits on again. Before we left the sweltering realm, I gave my teammate a big bro hug. “Thanks for showing me thebanya,” I said, clapping him on the back as we hugged. “You were right. I needed this. Thanks for looking out for me.”
“We brothers, man,” he said. “And hey, youhelp me my English all the time.”
I corrected him. “ ‘Help me with my English.’ ”
“Yes.Withmy English.” He winked. “Thank you.”
He opened the door and I followed him out out of thebanya. The scorching Texas summer day that was so unbearable before, now felt like an air conditioned paradise. Niko and I walked back to the hotel. Our paths split on the elevator. Niko slapped my back and gave me one last pump-up before he stepped out.
“Good luck, Big Rig. You got this.”
26
Piper
The five of us lined up in front of the enormous mirror in Katerina’s bathroom. The double vanity was spacious enough that we all had just enough room to comfortably do our makeup, without reaching over each other or bumping each other’s elbows. The girls listened intently as I told the story they were dying to hear, from beginning to end, interrupted only by the sound of makeup containers popping open and snapping shut.
Poor Katerina already had to sit through the same story just one month ago. But the version she’d heard was before the Soulmate promotion, so the news that Jax and I had kissed was news to her. I told the girls how that one small kiss acquainted me with reality, like running face-first into a brick wall.
“Wow. So youreallynever kissed him or did anything before last week?” Austen asked, her eyes rolling upward as she carefully applied mascara.
“Yup.”
They were all very surprised to learn that part. Apparently, ever since Jax joined the team, he and I had been a long-running topic of speculation among the WAGs. They were all absolutely convinced that Jax and I were, at theveryleast, involved in some type of friends-with-benefits situation. The way their men talked about me and Jax only fueled that speculation, too—apparently, the guys were convinced we were sleeping together, too.
“Nope,” I said. Blending brush still in hand, I raised a hand as if to make a solemn vow. “One week ago was the very first time we’ve ever kissed. I swear it.”
“Wow.”That shocked ’em all. Heck, even Katerina looked surprised.
“Kat!” I squealed, acting betrayed. “C’mon, I just told you all this a month ago! You can’t bethatsurprised.”
“I know, I know,” she said, bowing her head apologetically, “but I thought you were withholding details! I’m so sorry, but it didn’t seem like you were telling me the whole story. Please don’t be offended.”
I laughed it off. “Nah, it’s okay. In a way, you’re right. Iwasn’tbeing truthful. Thing is, I wasn’t being truthful with myself, either.”
Of course, I also told them about earlier today, and how I’dimmediatelytaken Paulina’s advice to make a move on Jax.
“I just feel sostupid,” I ranted. “Volunteering to share the same hotel room? To sleep in the samebed?Then, instead of letting things happen naturally,I immediately blab on and on about how much I like him. Wow,he must think I’m so pathetic—andcompletely nuts, too.”
But the girls wouldn’t have it.
“Let me stop you right there,” Austen said. “Youcannotbeat yourself up over that, Piper. Open and honest communication isnevera bad thing—it cuts out all the other bullshit.”
Emma concurred. “She’s right, honey. You did the right thing. If Jax misses out on a good thing because he’d rather keep chasing tail, well, that’s hisloss.”
Ainsley chimed in with her perspective, too. “Just think of it this way: however bad you’re feeling right now, you would’ve felt ten times worse if you’dnotspoken your mind, and done something physical with him instead.”
“You’re right. You’re all right.” I sighed. “And in a way, it’s nothing new. I’ve known this all along—it justsucks,you know? I think I alwaysknewI could sleep with Jax if I really wanted—”
“But that’s not what you wanted,” Katerina said.
“No. Definitely not. I mean, I’m sure I’d enjoy it—”
“In the moment?” Austen interjected. “Sure,maybe.But in the hours and days that came afterward?” She shook her head defiantly. “No way. Not if you feel that deeply for him but he doesn’t feel that way about you. If you slept with him, you’d only end up feeling used and confused.”
“I know,” I said, reluctantly bobbing my head. “You’re absolutely right.” It wasn’t easy to accept, but I knew I had to.
One by one, the girls had finished their makeup. I was the last straggler, but they stood nearby and waited while I blended in the finishing touch of blush.
