“Because they call him Danny.”
“Gray tried to call you Jos and Danny told him not to.”
“I’m sure he was just messing around. They seem to do that a lot.”
“He may have looked like he was joking, but we both know damn well it didn’t sound like it.”
“Again, you’re reading too much into it.”
A tight-lipped smile graces her face and she blinks slowly like she’s about to lose it. “Point four: He touches you and you don’t like being touched.”
I close my bottle and throw it on top of my bag. “Mild shoulder squeezes. That means nothing. And are you forgetting I’m teaching him how to swim? We touch each other a lot.”
“You’re killing me, Josie.” She tips her head back and grumbles, “Killing. Me.”
“You’re delusional, Vienna. Delusional. Daniel’s a flirt. Trust me, he’s not into me. He wouldn’t ever be.”
Life would be grand if I was the delusional one. Because then I could picture scenarios of Daniel and me together, and I could let myself be a hopeless romantic. Pretend like he wants to touch, hold, and kiss me. I wish I could put myself in a bubble and live in ignorant bliss.
I really wish I could because maybe then I’d believe that someone decided to look past my flaws and like me anyway because I was enough it didn’t matter.
But things don’t work that way. No onejustlooks past the flaws and decides they like you that much to stay. Maybe it works for other people but not for me.
I don’t mean that in aplease want me, like me, need mepity way. That’s the reality of my life, and accepting things for how they are is easier than pretending it’ll happen eventually because the world is filled with nothing but disappointment.
I already have enough of it; I don’t want any more. It is why after we arrived at the beach, I decided to annihilate the light he had set in my heart.
It was painful to do but necessary. Either way, we wouldn’t work out. Relationships and I are complicated. We don’t align. And it has nothing to do with my failed relationship with Bryson but rather with my mom.
How can I manage to be with someone when I couldn’t manage to figure it out with someone who was family?
I must’ve zoned out or my face must’ve given something away because she stares at me with remorse.
“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll shut up. I was excited and got carried away.” She pauses, chugs half her water, then says with all seriousness, “I’ve no doubt you two would be mates in?—”
I hold my palm out. “Stop, just—” A snicker tickles my throat. “Mates? Vienna, no. Please don’t finish that.”
Vienna’s a romantic. Anything and everything is a little love story waiting to happen. I don’t get her fascination with falling in love, but she’s a firm believer of that word. Also, she’s a huge fan of paranormal romance.
We walk back to everyone as she explains what knotting is and why wolves do it.
“Wait.” Grayson’s head snaps in our direction. “What did you just say about penises?”
I shake my head, but it’s already too late. Vienna’s eyes glitter with excitement.
“Werewolfpenises,” she says and like she did with me, proceeds to explain how knotting works to everyone.
Surprisingly they raptly pay attention, a little too intrigued.
“That sounds insane,” Daniel says to me. I hadn’t realized he was standing next to me or when he moved, but he’s close, too close. I can feel the hair of his arm brushing against mine. “Mates. That’s kind of cool. Insane but cool.”
“Cool?” I lift a brow and look up to find him already staring at me. “That just sounds insane to me.”
“I don’t know. The thought of someone out there being made just for you sounds nice.” He stares at me deeply, like he’s studying me for long enough that my heart beats a little harder. When he looks away, the beats wane. “Don’t you think?”
“No.”
“No?” He doesn’t look shocked, just curious.
