5
I stared at her, trying to read her expression.
Was she serious, or just messing with me?
Her face was calm, but her eyes—those deep hazel eyes—were too alert, too expectant. She wasn’t joking.
“So?” she pressed, her voice impatient now. Her fingers tightened slightly around my waist, as if nudging the truth out of me.
I swallowed, still unsure if I should say it out loud. “No, I don’t have one.”
I hesitated for half a second. Or a girlfriend, I wanted to add, but I didn’t.
She tilted her head. “But are you dating anyone?”
I glanced at her sideways, a small smirk tugging at my lips.
“If by dating you mean cooking every night for someone, hanging out until we pass out watching TV, and then sharing a bed like this—then, yeah. I guess I’m very much in a committed relationship.”
She gasped and slapped my arm again, hard. “Jen!”
“Okay, okay! Stop!” I was laughing too much to defend myself. “You’re hurting me again!”
She looked flustered, cheeks turning crimson, but it was the kind of blush that made my chest feel like it was glowing.
She was beautiful like this—unguarded and just a little bit vulnerable.
“I’m not dating anyone, Em. Not at the moment,” I said, this time more seriously.
She straightened up a bit, letting go of my waist in the process.
I hadn’t even realized how tightly she'd been holding on until the warmth left. I felt a flicker of emptiness in the space between us.
“See? That wasn’t so hard to admit,” she said, finally satisfied.
“I just thought that me being here every night would be a bit of a tell, you know?”
I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant even though my chest felt suddenly hollow.
She tilted her head again, studying me. “You said ‘at the moment.’ So… you’ve dated before?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Emma, I’m not a kid.”
“I know,” she said quickly, then added with a teasing grin, “It’s just… I can’t picture it. You, dating. I don’t know, it’s hard to imagine.”
And just like that, her arm was back around me. I tried not to melt.
“How about you?” I asked softly.
Her expression shifted—just slightly, but I caught it.
“Yeah, I’ve dated. More times than I’d like to count. But none of them stuck. One bad date after another.”
I stared at her in disbelief. Who were these guys? Were they blind? Or just plain stupid?
She was witty, stunning, warm in this chaotic way, and surprisingly gentle. How did anyone let her go?
“You’ll find someone, Em,” I said honestly. “Maybe not now, but you will. In time.”
She turned her face toward me, raising a brow. “Really? You’re lecturing me about love now?”
“What?” I asked, surprised.
“You’re a kid,” she teased. “What do you even know about love?”
That got me. I felt the words tumble out before I could stop them.
“Well, for your information, I’ve been heartbroken. That’s how I know.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted it.
My lips parted in a small oh as I stared at her, shocked that I’d just said that. I wasn’t planning to go there. Not tonight. Maybe not ever.
Her expression changed again—softened, but also sharpened with interest.
“Well, now I’m really intrigued,” she said, eyes widening as she turned toward me. “Do tell.”
She grabbed my arm with both hands, her grip firm and insistent, and I could see the curiosity burning in her gaze.
I had no escape. But even more than that—I didn’t really want to run. I just… wasn’t ready.
“Em, it’s late,” I said gently. “Let’s sleep already.”
“Nope. No way. You’re not getting out of this.”
“Emma. Seriously.”
“Yeah, seriously, Jen. I want to know.”
I paused, searching for a way to dodge it without pushing her away.
I looked into her eyes and tried to be as honest as I could without opening the wound.
“I will tell you,” I said slowly. “But not now.”
She studied me, and I think she understood. Her hands loosened on my arm, and she gave a tiny nod.
“Okay. For now,” she said softly. “But I really want to know.”
I gave her a small smile, grateful she didn’t push further. Leaning in, I kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Goodnight, Em.”
She smiled, surprised but not uncomfortable. “Goodnight, Jen.”
And then she pulled me close again, arms wrapping securely around my waist like it was second nature.
I hesitated only for a second before doing the same.
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