Page 49 of About Time You Noticed

Tommy angled his head to her, a coy grin stretching his cheeks. She dipped her head to the rocky ground. At her side, she eyed his pinkie finger hooking around hers. Sarah nodded to Becca and Paul’s back and retrieved her hand. Sarah hoisted her backpack higher and gave Tom a fake smile. If Becca weren’t around, she wouldn’t have the excuse to avoid contact. The hungry look in Tommy’s eyes suggested he wanted to pull her behind another tree and smooch her silly.

Not happening.

They reached a crest, and a massive lake gleamed in the afternoon sun over the other side. Becca turned over her shoulder. “Let’s rest a while by the water.” She and Paul continued down the slope, avoiding large rocks.

Tommy offered his palm. “The hill is a bit slippery in parts.”

Apprehension coursed through her veins and her hands were all jittery. She needed to say something now. Tommy would be hurt, but she couldn't live in fear of upsetting people all the time, especially men.

"Look, Tommy. You should take your advice and take things slow."

"Are you talking about hiking?” He dropped his hand and frowned. “When did I say that?"

“Can we sit a moment, so Becca doesn’t hear us?” The rocks offered no comfortable spot to rest, but there was no comfortable way to tell him either.

Tommy removed his backpack and sat.

After she joined him, sharp angles jagging into her backside, she released a breath. "You told me to take it slow with Edward."

"Ugh, that was a different situation. You didn’t know Edward."

"But do I really know you?" she said barely above a whisper.

"What are you talking about?” He lifted his sunglasses on top of his beanie. “Could you just spell it out for me? I'm not a genius in female speak."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Tom, things happened way too fast. I accidentally kissed you, and sure—we kissed behind the tree too, but I'm having second thoughts."

He raised a palm. "Hold on. You admitted you had feelings for me for a long time. How can you switch it off like that?” He shook his head in disbelief. “One minute you're on. The next minute the relationship is off?"

"We're good friends. If we don't have firm boundaries, our friendship will get damaged. And we've got close friends to consider. If things don't work out between us, it will be difficult for everyone to be in the same room. Like it used to be when Ethan and Emily avoided each other."

"I understand your concern. I’ve thought about that as well." He tilted his head. "But I can't see obstacles coming between us. We’ll be able to work anything out, I know we will."

"Let’s press pause for a while. I need to work things out in my head. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. But I need to be sure."

He sighed. "Okay. Can we still spend time together as friends? We can do that, can't we?"

The tension in her body disappeared. "Yes. We can remain friends. I’d like that."

***

AFTER TOMMY DROPPED Sarah at her house, he drove away and pounded the steering wheel. Friend zoned. Just awesome.

What had he done wrong? Why had Sarah suddenly gone cold and all freaked about the relationship? Who could he talk to before his brain exploded?

He drove down another road, the pleasant scenery unable to relieve his foul mood. Dang it. He'd promised Sarah he wouldn't tell people about the kiss, including Ethan and Jake. It would drive him nuts to be denied a sounding board. Maybe Damien would listen without demanding details. Damien knew he liked Sarah, but Jake and Ethan didn't have a clue.

Or did they?

Tommy dialed Damien's number.

On the second ring, he answered. "Hey, bud. What's happening?"

"Not much at all.” He sighed. “Things with Sarah have gone sour. I've jeopardized our friendship." Tommy moaned. "I knew it was a bad idea."

Damien shuffled papers on the other end of the line. "Bro, what happened?"

How to word this? "I told her how I feel." First, by an earth-shattering kiss and later in words. "She acted hesitant at first, but then she admitted she felt the same way." For years, and he hadn’t had a clue. What an idiot. "Things went well . . . for like one day, and boom . . . next day, she's backed off and said I need to take things slow. I'm in the friend zone again."

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