And I think, if I’m not careful, she’s going to ruin me.
Chapter 18
The living room floor looks like a craft store exploded.
Beads, string, scissors, and snacks everywhere. Bri sits cross-legged across from me, head tilted, tongue poking out slightly as she threads another tiny letter bead onto a cord.
“Remind me again why we thought this was a good idea?” I ask, holding up a tangled knot of string that used to resemble potential.
“Because you said, and I quote, ‘It’ll be fun, Bri, we’ll make friendship bracelets for the entire team, it’ll go viral.’” She mimics my voice terribly, then laughs. “And because you bribed me withLove Islandafterward.”
“Okay, fair.” I grin, sliding another bead onto my string. “But you have to admit, the fans, especially the girls, are going to love this. Each bracelet has their name, their country's team colors,and their jersey number. It’s wholesome content. They love wholesome.”
“Wholesome,” she repeats with air quotes. “You just want to see if Gallagher wears one.”
I flick a bead at her. “Do not start.”
She ducks, cackling, then holds up her half-finished bracelet. “Fine, fine. I’ll behave. How was work today?”
“Actually, really good.” I can’t help the smile that creeps in. “June started today.”
“Oh yeah?” Bri perks up. “How’d it go?”
“Better than I could’ve hoped. She’s smart, organized, so easy to talk to. Picks things up fast. Honestly, I already feel lighter having her around.”
Bri wiggles her brows. “Sounds like June’s coming for my best-friend title.”
“Relax.” I laugh. “No one could replace you. But I might finally sleep more than four hours a night.”
“She sounds great. You’ll have to invite her over sometime so I can meet her.”
“Deal,” I say, tying a knot at the end of my bracelet. “She’s definitely your type of person. She’s funny, quick-witted, you’d love her.”
Bri’s eyes glint. “And speaking of people you love…”
I groan. “Don’t.”
“Oh, I’m doing it.” She leans forward, elbows on her knees. “How are things with you-know-who?”
I focus very hard on my beads. “Same as always.”
“Which means what exactly?”
“It means… minimal contact, maximum tension.”
Bri grins. “So, nothing and everything.”
“Pretty much.” I exhale, dropping the bracelet in my lap. “We haven’t really talked since the morning at the coffee shop.”
Her head tilts. “And?”
And. God, where do I even start.
We walked side by side afterward, quiet but comfortable, like we didn’t need to fill the air to feel connected. He escorted me all the way to the building, neither of us saying much but not wanting to say goodbye either.
“Thank you for the coffee,” I’d told him.
He’d nodded, then pulled me into a hug, brief, firm, but gentle. The kind of hug that saysI see youmore thangoodbye,and for a split second, I swear he breathed me in, nose at the top of my head.
