“Of course not. I’m not asking you to. But the question is, are you doing it because he’s your best friend or because you’re in love with him?”
My eyes were glued to the shelves as if the writing on the coffee packaging was much more interesting than it was. “No, it’s not because of that. He’s my best friend, and he’d never betray me.”
“Jackson, I appreciate your loyalty, but you seem a little concerned for someone who’s just a friend.”
“Blaze,” I called when I noticed he’d turned his back to me.
“What is it?”
“I want to be able to tell you everything, really I do, but I can’t,” I murmured, leaning on a shelf.
Blaze turned around to look at me the only way he could: compassionately, sweetly, and like he really got me.
“Do you really want to know how things are between me and James?”
He nodded.
“We’re friends. I just want to protect him, but now it’s too late. James is up to his neck in trouble.”
He came toward me, looking worried. I tried leaning in to kiss him again, but he turned his head.
“It’s not a reproach but a confirmation. You’ve crazy about him,” he articulated, his voice cracking.
“Blaze.”
“I don’t play second fiddle to anyone, Jax.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’re in love with him. You just don’t want to admit it.”
I started scraping the broken glass strewn on the floor with the tip of my Jordans. “I’m not in love with anyone. I’m just confused, okay? I’m not even sure that—”
Blaze burst out laughing in my face.
Maybe he was sure about what he felt and what he wanted. I wasn’t.
“When’s the last time you kissed a girl? The last time you liked a girl?”
“It’s not that easy, you can’t just test me.”
“No, Jax. They’re just questions to make you face the truth. It’s all a lot easier than you think, because you don’t seem to have any problem showing him affection.”
Affection? Is that what you wanted from me, Blaze?
“No. He’s a friend and he brings out my protective side, that’s all.”
“That asshole?” He scowled.
I straightened my back, and Blaze suddenly seemed much shorter than me.
“Don’t talk about him like that.”
“You’d never defend me like that,” he concluded before turning away. I tried to block him at the door before he could leave for real.
“Because he’s my friend, but you—”
“I what, Jax?”
