Also?
I’ve never actually seen her happy the way she is now.
Love’s good for her.
She wears it well. And I think she knows what she has, and there’s not an ounce of doubt in my mind that love means more to her than all the professional success she walked away from.
God knows we grew up craving it enough that none of us—not even Carter—would throw it away now.
Even if the love we find isn’t necessarily with a person.
I can love a cacao farm. Carter can love his ... music.
If that’s what he wants to call it.
“You want me to drop you off at the school so you can change?” Dylan asks. “Might get dirty.”
“No, silly. If I let you drop me off, you’ll leave without me.” Also, the faster we get away from Lola without her spotting us, the better.
There’s that sigh again.
“You sound like Teague.”
“I donotsound like Teague.”
“Teague sighs like that all the time.”
“Teague’s a grumpy asshole with trust issues. A lovable grumpy asshole with trust issues, and my friend, but still a grumpy asshole with trust issues. I’m a simple guy who wants to go unclog a garbage disposal in peace while I process that I’ve wasted six years of my life with a woman I’ll never have and probably wanted for all the wrong reasons.”
I reposition Pebbles’s carrier so I can turn in my seat, pet my dog, and also watch him drive. He was all in the other day, and I get the feeling he’s not as opposed to this as he says he is.
This smells like cold feet. “Do you really want to unclog the disposal in peace, or are you planning on talking to your client the whole time? Client? Customer? What do you call the people whose drains you unclog?”
“They’re people.” He frowns. “Usually. Had a raccoon with a plumbing emergency once, but—”
“Wait! Wait! Give me your phone. I need to record this.”
“Tavi—”
“Gigi’s making me and Lola compete to see which one of us can get more people in Tickled Pink on social media to pimp the town, which isexactlywhy Lola’s asking Ridhi and Anya to do videos. The minute she sees you, you’ll be her next victim. And you should’ve seen the way she smirked when I said I was talking to a local plumber about getting you on social media today. She’s, like,totallybeing a Meanie McJudgy-Pants.”
Pebbles yips in agreement. She, too, dislikes Lola.
I put a hand on his thigh, then snatch it away as I realize what I’m doing. “Trust me. I’m doing you a huge favor. You can have me riding along today, or you’ll have Lola all up in your business pretending she cares about you by the end of the day. Not that you should turn her down if she asks you out for dinner. I mean, if she offers to do for you what I’m offering to do for you, say no. Don’t trust her. But if she offers to take you to dinner, say yes.”
And now I’m going to throw up, but I keep talking. “The only thing better than havingonefamous influencer telling the world you’re ‘just friends’ to get the ladies’ attention is having two. You have dinner with Lola, too, and your entire reputation and dating life will be set forever.”
“So I shouldn’t trust Lola, but I should trust you?”
“I mean,no. You really shouldn’t trust me either.” I smile at him. “But you and I have some history, and I don’t have enough friends that I trust the way I trust you, so whetheryoutrustmeor not, I promise to have your best interest at heart.” That much is true.
I don’t want to hurt him. I want to see him happy, if for no other reason than that I get it.
I know what it’s like to want to be loved and to constantly feel lacking, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Not even Lola.
“Tavi, I’m really not the playing-games type.”
