Page 60 of If I Could

“I can stay.” He gathers up the bags of chips and we follow the path to the pond. There’s a small bench there where we sit down.

He rips open a bag of chips. “Want some?”

“I have my own, but thanks.” I pull out my sandwich and take a bite.

“So…” he says, grinning as he munches on a chip, his eyes on the lake.

“So…” I say, mimicking him.

“Not your typical lunch.”

I laugh. “No. Not at all.” I turn to him. “Just so you know, I don’t normally do this.”

“Do what?”

“I don’t normally move this fast with a guy. I think the only reason I am now is because I know our time is limited.”

“And because we share an attraction that’s so intense it’s nearly impossible to be around each other without getting physical.”

“Yeah.” I sit back. “There’s that too.”

His eyes remain on the lake and he takes a drink of his soda. “So…one day at a time?”

“One day at a time.”

“And when it’s over?”

“It’s over.” I’m already dreading the end. It’s just a few months away, maybe less if he decides he’s tired of being in this town. How much time do you really need to research a small town? He could finish writing his manuscript anywhere. He wouldn’t need to stay here.

He opens three bags of candy and sets them between us. “Dessert.”

“Thanks, but I’m not quite finished with the main course.”

“You eat that every day?” He points to my sandwich.

“Unfortunately, yes. It’s the only lunch that fits in my budget.”

“Why don’t you let me take you out sometime? After our fake relationship is made public?”

“I guess we could do that.” I wipe the crumbs off my hands. “As long as you’re okay keeping the fake relationship going.”

“We kind of have to, don’t we? Otherwise, that idiot will ask you out again.”

So now Jesse’s an idiot, and Kyle said it in an angry tone, almost like he’s jealous.

“Does it bother you?” I ask, taking some candy from the bag.

“That he flirts with you?” He pops a licorice bite in his mouth. “Yeah. It does. He’s out of line and being disrespectful. You told him you weren’t interested and he won’t take no for an answer. And he’s breaking all kinds of HR laws, which you know, given that it’s your major. So why haven’t you reported him?”

“Because it wouldn’t do any good. The whole town would be on Jesse’s side and I’d be the enemy for reporting him.”

“That’s messed up.”

“That’s just how it is. But if he ever tries anything, like tries to grab me or kiss me, I’ll take him down.”

“I’ll do it for you. Just say the word. It’d be good to put all that martial arts training to good use.”

“You’d get arrested for sure. The cops here wouldn’t even listen to your side of the story. They’re all friends with Jesse and his dad.”

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