“And then Sophie came up with this idea that if I flirted with you in front of Axel, then Axel would get jealous and finally ask me out.” I didn’t tell him the name of the phase. Because no one wanted to hear that. And it wasn’t freaking incest.

Jacob pulled his arm off the back of the bench.

“But I didn’t need to pretend to flirt with you. It just happened very naturally. And I think I’ve been blind this whole time. I don’t think that Axel is the guy for me but maybe you are?” I wasn’t sure why that came out as a question. I’d meant it.

Jacob just stared at me.

“I think maybe I explained that all wrong. I’m just trying to say that Operation Too Hot to Handle was canceled as soon as I realized I have actual feelings for you.” God, why wasn’t he saying anything? “Or if you think we’re just friends or whatever...cool.” My voice was suddenly weirdly high-pitched. “Because obviously we’re friends. And this was just a friendship ice cream date thing, right? I don’t think you ever said date date. And maybe I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I mean, everyone likes ice cream. And ice cream is a casual thing.” God. “Can we maybe just forget everything I just said? Where is our ice cream? This is taking forever, right? Should I call the waitress over? I think I should.” I lifted my hand in the air to get the waitress’ attention.

But Jacob grabbed my hand and pulled it down. And he kept holding it.

I looked up at him. “Please just say something. I am so so sorry.”

“It was real for me,” Jacob said slowly.

“I know, it was real for me too. That’s what I was trying to say.”

He smiled. “And this is a date date. Not a friendship date.”

Really? I felt the smile spread across my face. “Noted.”

“I know your original plan backfired. But I don’t want to be your second choice, Scarlett. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to notice me like that?”

I laughed. “Don’t even with me. We both know we’ve always just been friends before this year.”

“Not true.”

I just stared at him.

“I’ve had a crush on you ever since I first moved to the city. But it was always you and Axel...”

“It was never me and Axel.”

He raised his eyebrow. “You used to talk all the time about how you were going to get married and have like a bajillion kids or something.”

“I was just a kid. I was stupid.”

Jacob laughed.

“I really didn’t know that you liked me like that.”

“Why do you think I stood at the red panda exhibit for hours with you once a week for years?”