Page 81 of That Friendzone Feeling

It’simpossible to find fault with this guy.Evena fault-finding scientist who put him under a fault-finding microscope and studied him for years wouldn’t be able to find a fault.

“Ihave a meeting about the foundation next week, actually.”Hepauses. “InNewYork.Withmy team.”

“Together.Everyone.Annoys.Me,”Isay out of habit.Mygiggles are brought to an abrupt halt byChase’sperplexed expression.

“Sorry.Oldbusiness school joke.Aprofessor was teaching us about inspiring acronyms forTEAM, and a grumpy guy in class mumbled, ‘Together.Everyone.Annoys.Me.’”

Explainingit makes it sound like the least funny thing imaginable. “Eversince, it’s made the word ‘team’ hilarious to me.”AndtoWalker.

Chasequirks an unamused brow. “Oh.Right.”

“Hadto be there,Iguess.”Asigh sneaks out beforeI’verealized it.Attemptinga speedy recovery,Ismile. “Anyway, sorry, yes, great.Ifyou have any more questions about the resort, the pubs, or the beer or anything, just let us know, andWalkerandIwill definitely be available to meet with you.”

“I’mconfident we’ve got most of the business stuff nailed down.”Hepicks up his glass and looks at me over the top of it. “Iwas hoping to see you, though.”Hecontinues to look at me as he takes a sip.

Mybelly flips.Isthat a signImight be excited by the thought of seeing him?Isthere something in me that’s more than just admiration forChaseCooper’slooks?Somethingthat could grow into actual feelings for him.Oris it an awkwardness and an embarrassmentIdon’t know how to handle?

“Butnot in a meeting.”Heputs his glass back down. “Moreon a… well… a date.”

He’seven asking me out like an adorable teenager who’s not sure his classroom crush will say yes.

Beingtreated well by a good man feels good.I’venever known that before.Well, except withWalker.ButI’vetaken him off the table.Completelyoff.Andput him in a different room from the table.Aroom with no tables.

AndChaseis perfect in every way.But, dammit, there’s no spark, no tingle in my belly, like the oneWalkergives me.WhenChaseheld my hand on the red carpet and put his arm around me, my skin didn’t come alive at his touch the way it does whenWalkerso much as breathes on me.

Butmaybe that could come with time.

ThethingWalkersays—“Ifyou don’t feel it in the first thirty seconds, you’ll never feel it”—has always been bullshit.

MaybeIshould give this a chance.Hell,Ishouldmakemyself give him a chance.I’dbe a fool not to.IfItold anyone thatChaseCooperhad asked me on a date andI’dturned him down, they’d start looking for my tinfoil hats.

Lookat the handsome face across from me.Thisman is flawless.Andmore importantly, he’s notWalker.

AndifIwere with someone who doesn’t set my heart on fire the wayWalkerdoes, it wouldn’t hurt as much when it goes horribly wrong and ends.And, let’s face it, it would end.Everythingalways does.

Whileit lasted though, my parents couldn’t fail to be impressed.

23

WALKER

“T

hereyou go,”AuntMaggiesays, sliding a plate with a freshly made grilled cheese sandwich on it across the island. “Mustbe more than a decade sinceI’vemade you one of these.”

“Andthis is a bit different from the apartment you made it in last time.”Igesture to the huge kitchen-slash-family room that takes up the full width of the back of theirNewHampshirehome.

MaxandConnordid a great job of overseeing the renovations on this place.Itwas a wreck when the five of us bought it a couple of years ago, and the work took a good six months.

I’venever seenMaggieandJimas happy, relaxed, or rested as they have been since they moved in early last year.

Ijust wishIcould have chipped in more.Iowe them both everything.Ifthey hadn’t taken in me andTom, where the hell would we have ended up?

MaggieandJimneither know nor care who contributedwhat.Still,Ican’t help but feelI’malways the one who gives the least and takes the most.

Thehouse is a big old stone thing namedBlythewoodManoron the edge ofBlythewoodvillage.Theproperty includes a lake and some woods, most of it surrounded by an original stone wall—a taller version of the oneEmilyandIcrashed into a couple of weeks ago.Rightbefore she told me she loved me and kissed me like she meant it with all her heart.

Somuch for coming up here to get her out of my head.Butit does meanIget to avoid her arriving home fromLAtoday.