Page 77 of Just Friends
“Rude but true. Literally everyone else can see it and has been saying it for years.”
“It WAS true. Not anymore, because I admit it now: yes, I might have developed a little crush on him somewhere down the line.”
“Lol. A ‘little’ crush, huh.”
“Big crush, little crush, what’s it matter? He doesn’t like me the way I like him. He’s not even capable of liking girls that way.”
“You don’t know that. You’re just assuming that because you’re so afraid to try for more. But what if he was a different guy with you?”
“Generally, I think someone’s dating history is a pretty good indicator of how they’ll act in the future.”
“Blah blah blah. You sound like a broken record, spouting off all your old and lame excuses. The point is, YOU LIKE HIM. You owe it to yourself to at least TRY to make it happen. That’s why you gotta shoot your shot this weekend. Don’t let it go to waste.”
I read her message over and over, my jaw tensing harder and harder. I hated how much sense she was making. I hated that I had to ask myself if she might actually be right.
She sent me another text.“He was your ‘Soulmate’ for a reason. Your app works, Pip. BELIEVE IT.”
Normally, I’d scoff and come back with a self-deprecating remark about what a disaster Soulmate was—but her words made the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and goosebumps springing up all over my tingling body.
No, I didn’t think I’d make a move on Jax … but she’d definitely given me a different way of thinking about things, that’s for sure.
“Anyway,” I texted back after a long and contemplative lull. “Those are some good thoughts. Not sure if I agree with everything you said, and I doubt I’d ever do anything crazy like make a move on him, but thanks for the interesting perspective.”
“My pleasure! HMU anytime if you need to talk!”
“Will do.”
“Great. Now PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN and talk to your man!”
I stifled a laugh. Jax wasn’t ‘my man,’ but Iwasbeing a pretty bad road trip partner. I stashed my phone in my bag and turned my attention to him.
“Hey, how’s it going?” I asked.
“Good,” he said. “How are you?”
“Good. Sorry I was texting so much.”
He shrugged. “No prob. How’s Paulina?” This time, he didn’t sound like he doubted me.
I smiled. “She’s good. She’s jealous of all the massages and facials I’m about to get, naturally.”
“Well, tell her to come visit us already. We can take her up there anytime.”
Of course, the only way she could visit is if I stayed in Dallas. He really didn’t want me to move back to Montana, did he?
I remembered Paulina’s text:He doesn’t want to lose you.
“Maybe,” I said quietly, a small ray of optimism coloring my voice. “We’ll have to see.”
19
Piper
“Okay, there it is,” Jax said, pointing up ahead at the sign for Oakwood Mansion Spa Resort.
“Yay!” I cheered. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a massage.”
A two hour drive was the perfect length road trip—short enough that we didn’t have to make any stops, but long enough that we were both excited to hop out and stretch our legs.
