“Hey,” I answer as I walk out of the dress shop onto the hot sidewalk in downtown Denver. “What’s up?”
“Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Jaxon’s deep voice rumbles through the phone.
I kick at a small pebble on the ground, being careful not to scuff my new blush-pink Nike’s. “Why wouldn’t I be.”
“Your last text made it seem like you were having a bad day.”
“I just hate shopping,” I reply.
Jaxon chuckles, and I can feel the smile spreading across my face.
“Some things never change, I guess,” Jaxon replies. “Remember how much you bitched about prom dress shopping? Your mom is a saint for putting up with you on those trips. You were always so grumpy when you’d get back.”
“Yeah, well, trying clothes on is literally the worst. Nothing feels right. Nothing looks right. Everything makes me itchy.”
“Just wear jeans or something. I’m your date. I’ll wear them too,” Jaxon offers.
I sigh. “If only. Too bad I’m a bridesmaid, and my mom will lose her sainthood if she murders me when I show up in non-wedding attire.”
“Normally I’d offer to protect you, but no way I can take on Jen Harper. She may be petite, but she seems scrappy,” Jaxon says with a laugh.
I smile at the thought of my little mom taking on a man almost a foot taller than her and twice as wide.
“She’s definitely the toughest of us all,” I agree.
This. This is the problem. It’s easy to talk to Jaxon. It’s always been easy between us. And if I’m not careful, I’ll find myself in the exact same spot I was all during my senior year: turning to tell him a joke or point something funny out, only to realize he’s not there.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Jaxon says into the phone after we both stop laughing.
“Thanks for calling to check on me.”
“Of course, Iz. I’m here for you, just like the fantastic fake boyfriend I am,” he replies.
“Isabel,” I correct him, though it feels like I’m doing it more to remind myself than with any hope of getting him to call me something less intimate.
“Goodbye, Iz,” he says in response.
“Goodbye, Jaxon Reid.”
I turn around to find all three of the women I came here with staring at me. Lila looks so excited I swear she’s bouncing on her toes.
“He called you?” Lila all but shrieks.
“Yes?” I say. “And you three stood behind me and listened in on my call instead of getting into the car? Weird move.”
“We’re just so excited for you,” Lila replies, though both my sisters’ faces are portraying emotions that would fall much more on the worried end of the spectrum than the excited one.
“Of course you are,” I say as we all climb into the car. “It’s like it’s written in the happily married handbook that your next step is to focus all your energy into setting up your single friends so they can be in relationships too,” I reply.
“I’ve never tried to set you up with anyone,” Kelsey chimes in, navigating the car away from the dress shop and toward the restaurant. “Though, I do have to admit it’d be nice to have a couple to go on double dates with. JT and Jameson have such weird schedules, it’s really hard for us to get together. Maybe the four of us should go out sometime.”
“Hey!” Bryn exclaims, turning to glare at our oldest sister from the passenger seat. “You guys can’t go without us.”
“Fine. But it has to be this month, otherwise we’re going without you,” Kelsey replies.
“Deal,” Bryn says, already texting Jameo.
I’ve never been so happy to have the pressure of dating off my shoulders as I am in this exact moment—even if it means opening myself up to being let down by Jaxon…again.
