Page 88 of That Friendzone Feeling

“Yup.Fromthe first time you brought her home for a visit.”

“Connorsaid exactly the same.”Ishake my head with a chuckle. “Haveyou all always thought that?”

“Yeah.Youguys have something special.”

So, everyone can see this.AndI’mcertainEmilycan see it too.Butshe’s put on the thickest, blackest blindfold she can find.Well, it’s time for me to snatch it right off those beautiful, brown eyes.

“It’shard when you like someone and you see them all the time,”Elliotcontinues. “Imean, how do you even make a move in that situation?Youhave to be completely sure you’re going to get a positive response.Becauseif you don’t, you’ve made everything awkward forever.”

I’mpretty sure we’ve stopped talking about me and have moved on toElliot’slong-running crush onCharlotte,Max’sassistant.Elliot’snever spoken about it, butI’mabsolutely sure he doesn’t need to travel the two floors up in his building to visitMaxin person anywhere near as often as he does.Theircompanies have nothing to do with each other.

Westop by the shrubs, andElliotholds another stake against the ground. “Thislooks like a good spot.Thecamera can see right along the line of bushes from here.”

“Sure.”Iwhack the stake, and it barely breaks the surface.

“Theremight be rock under here,”Elliotsays and moves it a bit to the right.

“Yeah, it would be hard to make a move on someone you know well,”Isympathize.

Elliot’salways been super picky with women.He’snever been one for going out with the guys to bars or hooking up for the sake of it.It’slike he always needs the cerebral connection first.

Ormaybe he actually just does prefer to stay home watching theBackto theFuturemovies for the umpteenth time, or episodes ofDr.Whofrom the 1970s, or playing whatever that game is that he’s been obsessed with for years.

Ican relate to being besotted with someone in the workplace, but it’s even harder for him.Notonly does he not have a clue whetherCharlotte’sinterested,I’mcertainMaxwould lay down the law and say it falls under the subclause of not mixing business with family.Andno one would want to tangle withMaxon that.

“WithEmand me, it just happened,”Itell him.

Ihit the stake again, and it sinks a couple of inches into the soil.

“Forit to ‘just happen,’ you have to be in the situation for it to just happen.”Elliotsounds totally defeated.

Atthe third strike, the stake sinks enough for it to be secure.

Hemakes swift work of loosening the camera bracket, sliding it on, and tightening it into place.

“Youknow what, though,El?Isn’tit always better to go for it?Toknow for sure than to just not try?”

Elliotstraightens and gives me a wry smile. “Thatsounds terrifying.”

Hepicks up the final stake and camera. “Comeon.Onemore, then we’ll go inside andDadwill get out his scotch to warm us up.”

He’sright.Puttingyourself out there and risking humiliation is frightening.

Butisn’t the thought of spending the rest of your life without the person you’re supposed to be with even more terrifying?

25

EMILY

Idrop my suitcase at the foot of my bed inWalker’sloft and flop back onto the mattress.

Flyingis always so tiring.Evenjust getting to and from the airports and through security feels like running a marathon.

Pileonto that how mentally and emotionally draining it is to be a total fish out of water in a completely different environment, as well as making a massive effort with all the new peopleImet.Mycheeks hurt from smiling, my arm aches from shaking hands, and the rest of me is simply exhausted.

Maybeit’s also becauseIcan finally relax after the relief of watchingChasesign on the dotted line this morning, knowing that not only is the resort now secure, but so is our whole company.

Iwas so looking forward to celebrating withWalker, but he’s not home and hasn’t even replied to my text.Whenwe landed,Iwas sure my phone would ping with a bunch of “well done” messages from him.