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“In your dreams, baby.” She laughed. “So, the first time was obviously the fuck up you were whining about. But this time was different?”

I dragged in a lungful of air and blew it out slowly. “Yeah, this time was different.”

“What changed?”

Everything.

Nothing.

I wasn’t too sure myself.

“I told her I was in love with her,” I said, blindingly grateful that we were having this conversation telephonically and not in person. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to withstand the full might of Alex’s ‘I Told You So’ smirk.

“Fucking finally,” she groaned. “Oh man, Hayden owes me so much money.”

“You fuckers bet on when I’d tell Mia I loved her?” I asked, a bit outraged that my friends had so little faith in me.

“No,” Alex said. “To be clear, we bet on when you’d sleep with her. Cameron was the one who bet you’d tell her how you feltbeforeyou fucked her. She lost, obviously. Hayden said it would take you a couple of months, Taylor said it wouldn’t happen at all, and because I’m so good at reading you, I said it would happen while you were in Brazil. God, I’m good.”

“Congratulations,” I huffed, not wanting to know the obscene amounts of money they’d thrown on the table. I knew we went overboard on a good day. “I’m so glad my love life was so entertaining for the four of you.”

“It was not entertaining.” She chuckled. “It wastorturewatching you dance around your feelings for Mia. No matter how hard we tried to get you to see what was sitting right in front of you, you insisted that your relationship was strictly platonic. Ha! Platonic, my ass.”

“You’re a really mean winner, has anyone ever told you that?” I snickered.

“I’m an even meaner loser,” she said casually. “So the rest of the group owes you for making sure I won the bet.”

“I’m cashing in the second I get back,” I said. “You all owe me lunch.”

“You’re getting laid on the regular,” she reminded me with a tiny sense of outrage. “I don’t owe you a damn thing.”

I rolled my eyes, missing my friends even more.

“Seriously, though.” She sighed. “As much as I give you shit for all of it, I’m thrilled for you and Mia. It’s about damn time, but are you sure you’re okay? Leaving her in Brazil and diving straight into a long distance relationship is a huge step.”

“I know it is.” I sighed. “And I know it isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to be the furthest thing from easy, actually. But I want to give her the choice. I want her to choose for herself, and not just because she’s chained to me.”

“I know you probably don’t need to hear this,” Alex murmured. “But I’m proud of you. I know Daniella didn’t make this shit easy for you, and this decision is a lot bigger than you’re letting on. I’m happy for you, as long as you’re happy.”

I ended the call shortly after that, the lump in my throat making it a little too difficult to speak. Alex understood, and she let me go with the promise of being the first person I saw when I landed in America.

Whether Mia was with me or not.

Chapter 37

Taking The Scenic Route

MIA

“Didyougettheupdated schedule that Rae emailed this morning?” I called from inside my bedroom.

I shuffled through my laptop bag, searching for my charger before walking out into the living room where Reid sat. Her own laptop balanced precariously on her knees, and her gaze lifted to me the moment I reappeared.

“Yeah, it’s in my inbox,” she said distractedly.

I laughed and plugged my charger in, settling down on the floor in front of the glass coffee table. “Did you open the updated schedule?” I clarified.

“No, I’m waiting for something from Warren.” She sighed, her eyes scanning what no doubt was a full inbox.