Page 56 of Blakely and Liam

“He wasn’t ugly. He’s a Scottish rugby player.”

“Oh, yum, Scottish Scottish? That is the hottest of the men. Was he wearing a kilt? I don’t know anything about rugby but I do know rugby players make all the girls swoon.”

“That’s what I said!” I leaned my head on the sofa pillows. “He was really great, even in pants.”

She cocked her head. “You sound like it was more than just friends.”

I exhaled. “One night, on my hike, I swear to god, something big like a bear chased me into my tent. I was so freaking scared—”

Jess interrupted, “Why would anyone do this for fun?”

I grinned. “It was fun, scary, awful, exhausting, all the things.”

She shivered.

I continued, “I looked down at my phone and realized he had added his phone number. It was there right when I needed it. And get this, he listed himself as my emergency contact. So I called him, and he talked to me until I wasn’t scared anymore. He just wanted to make sure I was okay. He has this really low voice and it made me feel... I don’t know, like finding him was finding someone really important, as if... he were meant for me — he called me Woodshee.”

“Ah Babe, that is not what a rebound is about.”

“I know.” I blew out air. “And anyway, he has a girlfriend and I’m married and—”

“...He lives in a hick town in the middle of nowhere. What does he do for a living?”

I pouted. “He owns a failing pub and motel, but he hates them, his regular job is a groundskeeper.”

She said, “God, your rebound is just sad. Did you fuck him, at the very least?”

“No, we didn’t do anything — you know what, it’s really nothing, forget I mentioned it.”

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