Page 39 of The Lake House

“What?” She shrugs. “You haven’t run into him at all?” She smirks, and I know it’s because she knows I was referring to her health. She’s so casually avoiding the topic once again.

I roll my eyes. Fine, she doesn’t want to tell me anything now. I’ll let it go. But if something else happens when I’m with her, I’m pushing the subject until she tells me something.

“Okay, Liv. I’ll let it go this time.”

I see relief wash over her face. Yeah, I knew there was something. I have known this girl for too long; I can tell when something is up with her.

“So, come on. Tell me… any news with Declan? Did you go see him or call him or anything?” She’s basically begging me to give her something, anything, at this point. I just want to chuckle at how badly she’s pleading right now. “Please tell me you drove to his place late last night and had a night filled with orgasm after orgasm.”

This time, her words actually do make me break out into laughter. “You are something else, woman. Do you know that?”

“A girl can dream…”

I shake my head, analyzing her expression.

“Okay, so I saw him earlier today on my run.”

Her eyes widen. “You did? And did you talk to him? Please tell me you at least talked to him…”

I nod and she gives me the biggest smile, then says, “Yes! That’s what I’m talking about! And what did y’all talk about?”

I smile. “Well, I did ask him if he wanted to join me around the pond, and he actually said yes.”

“Of course he did,” she exclaims, slamming her hands down onto the table as if she was making her point. After a few seconds, she asks, “And then…”

I shrug. “And then we walked and talked… and he asked me out.”

Her face lights up with excitement. “And this time, you actually said yes, right?”

I shake my head. “I said no.”

“Why!!!” she demands more so than asks.

Shrugging again, I respond. “I just couldn’t, Liv. I mean, I wanted to—want to—go out with him and spend time with him… but I just don’t think I’m ready. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to go down that road again.”

She lets out a deep breath. “If you never go for it, you’re never going to know.”

I bite down on my lip. “I know. I wish I could have found the courage in me to say yes. I do like him a lot… and he looked so cute when I saw him in his casual clothes….” I pause for a moment and then add, “Fuck it, he’s hot.”

The two of us burst out in laughter.

“Damn right he is, Giules, and if you don’t get your shit together soon enough, he’s going to find someone else to ask out. A man like that is not going to stay single forever.”

Of course she’s right. It’s only a matter of time before someone else catches his eye and he goes for it. Me rejecting his invites to go out with him will not make him keep asking me out. He’s probably already said the hell with me. I mean seriously though, how many times will a guy take no for an answer before he moves on to the next girl?

“I know,” is all I manage to say.

Liv just shakes her head a few times while staring at me and then says, “What am I going to do with you, Ms. Giuliana Bianchi?”

I smirk. “Love me forever?”

She chuckles. “Of course I am. I just wish you’d see what you’re worth and stop worrying about Todd.”

I furrow my brows. “I’m not worried about Todd.”

“Oh really? Then why won’t you give Declan a chance?”

I’m honestly surprised she’s asking me this. She knows why. Obviously, I’m afraid of getting hurt the way I did. I don’t want to go through that again. I don’t even want to think of the possibility. What Todd put me through really sucked.

---