Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“We need something classic too. Something black and white, maybe a wartime love story.” She stopped pacing and pointed her bandaged hand at me. “Casablanca. That’s full of emotional depth! I mean, that kiss? When she says, ‘If you knew what I went through, if you knew how much I loved you . . . how much I still love you.’ Gah! Just stab me!” She clutched her heart.
Amused by her excitement, I gave up arguing with her and leaned back, draping an arm along the back of the bench. “Okay, professor. Where and when is this masterclass taking place?”
“My house. I’ll finalize the list over the next few days, and we’ll start the viewing this week. We’ve got a whole month, right?”
“Right.”
She nodded. “I can definitely have you in your feels by then. Finally, reading all those romance novels is going to pay off!”
“Jesus. You’re not going to make me read one, are you?”
“No, but I do think all men could learn something from them. Now let me think.” She tapped a finger against her lips. “I’ve got dance class tomorrow night, so let’s meet up Tuesday. My place around seven.”
“Dance class?”
“Yes. I take an improvisational dance class at Veronica’s studio.” She grinned. “You should come! It’s all about translating feelings into movement. You’d have to wear clothes, of course, but I bet the internet would love it.”
I was shaking my head before she even finished the thought. “No fucking way. I’ll stick to the movies.”
She pointed her bottle toward me. “You better thank me in your Oscar acceptance speech.”
I tapped my beer against hers once more. “Deal.”
We walked back to her house, and after some additional prodding, she brought me her car key so I could take it to get checked out tomorrow.
“Thank you,” she said. “I appreciate it.”
I handed her my phone. “Do you want to give me your number?”
“Sure.” She typed it in and gave it back to me, and I handed her the fob to my rental SUV.
“Well, goodnight,” I said.
“Night.” She lingered on the sidewalk for a second, and I wondered if it would be a bad idea to give her a hug. Could I trust myself to put my arms around her and let her go in an appropriate amount of time? Without any wandering of the hands? Before I had decided for sure, she gave me a little wave and headed up the front walk.
Kicking myself, I walked over to her car.
Later that night, I crawled into bed and lay for a while staring at the ceiling. The twin bunks Devlin and I once shared had been replaced by a queen-sized bed, but everything else was the same. I glanced over to the wall where the bunk beds had been and recalled that soft, sweet kiss. Her naked shoulders in the moonlight. The bare chest I’d glimpsed before looking away. Would she consider giving me another chance?
No. Stop it. You hugged it out, you’re friends, and that’s that.
I thought about her ridiculous plan to help me get in touch with my feelings and smiled. I was probably just going to end up sitting through a lot of chick flicks while she cried, but it was a sweet gesture. It came from the heart.
And maybe if I did more things from the heart, I’d give a more heartfelt performance.
Still, as I lay there staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t help wondering about the boundaries of friendship and how far they might stretch.
FIVE
ari
After dance class, Veronica and I met up at Lush for a glass of wine. I got there first, snagged a round high-top in the back, and ordered a glass of pinot noir for me and a sauvignon blanc for her—our usual. Veronica came in about ten minutes behind me, and the moment she sat down, she clamped a hand around my forearm.
“Tell me everything,” she said dramatically.
“Everything about what?”
“About you and Dash! I was dying to ask you about it at the studio but there were too many people around, and Dashiel’s name is so well-known. I didn’t want to start any rumors flying.” She grinned. “But it’s obvious something is going on.”
“Nothing is going on.” I picked up my water and took a sip.
“You’re so cute.” The smile faded, and her tone grew threatening. “Now tell me the truth.”
I laughed. “Nothing is going on, Roni. It’s exactly what I said—he was at the bar when I cut my finger, he took me to the emergency room, then he took me home. I was as shocked as anyone when he showed up Sunday morning and offered to fill in for my absent server.”
Veronica sighed like I was testing her patience and tightened her long blond ponytail. “Okay, but for nearly a year now—as long as I have known you, Ari DeLuca—you’ve done nothing but roll your eyes whenever Dash’s name comes up, and once or twice you have alluded to the fact that you’re not exactly his biggest fan.”