“What are you saying, exactly?”

“What are you saying?”

There was a long silence. I could feel both of our tentative offers hanging in the air between us–like two extended hands, only neither of us was willing to close the final few inches and commit. The more I thought about making my thoughts clear, the more terrified I became.

My chest was in the grip of an invisible, massive hand. My lungs were squished tight until my breaths came in hollow rasps. I wanted to, but couldn’t make myself say the words in my mind.

Finally, Dean shook his head. “All I know is this guy I met on my run asked me to go fly fishing with him today. I’ve never done it, but always wanted to. I invited Curtis and Lane.”

The tension in my chest eased off and I could finally breathe again. Something had been right there for us to grab, but it passed again. The moment was gone, and that was probably for the best. For both of us. “That sounds fun,” I said.

“Want to come?”

“I can’t. I’m supposed to meet with Lizzie and Steph. Lizzie wants to get herself all dolled up in the wedding dress and have her hair done as a ‘dry run’ before the big day. Sounds exhausting, honestly, but I think it’s probably part of my sisterly duty.”

“Yeah, that’s too bad,” Dean said. “I guess we’ll catch up tonight, then?”

“Sure. Breakfast at The Spot was insanely good. I was kinda thinking of checking them out for dinner, too. You could join me, as long as you promise to be good and not flirt with all those pretty girls who seem to work at this place.”

“Hey,” he said, smiling and coming closer. He put a hand on my cheek and winked. “You know you’re the only pretty girl I’m flirting with this week.”

“Better be,” I said.

“Oh, of course. I’m fakefully yours, baby.”

I laughed. “Damn right you are.”

Dean had to head out before his fishing trip with the boys to meet with Maxwell Pollard for a work thing. Maxwell was staying by the big skyscraper known as “Stone Tower” in a luxury hotel with the rest of my co-workers. I hadn’t been out that way yet, but wanted to go soon to check in with Marley. I was hoping that yellow-toothed guy we’d seen at Dean’s talk wasn’t harassing her too much. Then again, if he was, I wanted all the juicy details.

Once I was alone again, I found myself turning over our conversation in my head. It felt like we had both been having a discussion beneath our words–one where we were flirting with the idea of giving things a shot. After everything my mom said, I was starting to wonder if maybe I really wanted that. I wondered what was holding Dean back. Did he really think I’d cheat on him or betray his trust like those other women had? Or was I simply not his type? A guy like Dean could have any woman in the world, and my insecurity couldn’t help asking why he would want me.