“I am looking for Mom, but I figured I could kill two birds with one stone by coming here.” He shrugged. “So? Did you ask him out yet?”

I clutched my phone tightly and sunk back into the cushions that were scattered across the sofa.

“I’ll take Reagan’s deafening silence and guilty look for two hundred dollars, Alex.”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, grabbing one of the scatter cushions and hugging it close to me, almost like a barrier between us. “It’s dumb anyway.”

“You already had lunch with him. Why don’t you just do it again?”

“Lunch wasn’t a date.”

“Why are you making this so complicated?” Preston raised his eyebrows. “Since when did you ever give a fuck about—oh. I get it.”

I swallowed. “Get what?”

His lips tugged up in a knowing smile. “You like this guy.”

“He saved my life. I’d be an asshole for hating him.”

“Don’t deflect, Reagan. You know what I mean.”

I groaned, falling over so I was lying on the sofa. “Yes, okay, I like him. He’s funny, and we get along really well. I think we’re becoming pretty good friends and I don’t want to ruin that.”

“How does he feel about you?”

“Probably amused by my endless sarcasm and not too impressed by my ability to ruin his favorite TV show.” I moved to put the cushion beneath my head.

My brother shook his head. “Let me guess. How I Met Your Mother.”

“The characters are seriously problematic!”

“I’m not getting into that again. We’ll be here all evening.” He snorted. “I get why you don’t want to ask him out, but I know you. You’ll kick yourself forever if you don’t, especially if you promised yourself that you’d do it.”

I pursed my lips. I was going to have a chat with my best friend about her big mouth. My brother knew far too much for my liking. “If you’re here to force me into it, you can fuck off.”

“I’m not here to force you to do anything.” He held his hands up. “I’m here to remind you that you’ve never once gone back on your word, and your best friends do have a bet running on you right now.”

Shit. They did, didn’t they?

“That’s hardly my responsibility.” I sniffed and sat back up. “They’re idiots.”

“That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about.”

I blinked at him.

He sighed. “That line only works when you’re not telling the truth, doesn’t it?”

I smirked and nodded once. “Fine. I guess I’ll text him tonight. I want to make sure he’s not working so I don’t go crazy checking my phone every five minutes.”

Preston stared at me.

I stared right back.

I was not going to give in to him. He wanted me to do it now, but I would text Noah in my own time.

I would.

I was not. Giving. In.

Especially not to my brother.

“You’re so damn stubborn.” He got up with a shake of his head and headed for the door. He paused there before he looked over his shoulder and met my eyes. “Reagan, if you like this guy, you have to go for it. If I hadn’t done the kissing booth, me and Halley never would have gotten together. Don’t make the same mistake we almost did, all right?”