Wendy laughed along with her. “I guess you made a couple good points, though. I’m not doing myself any favors by sitting back and not doing anything. Besides, I’ve been holding back a long time already. If I wait too long, he’s going to move on anyway.”
“Exactly. You can’t expect him to hold out for you forever. I mean, you’re amazing and definitely worth the wait, but guys don’t have the best attention spans.”
They both giggled before the conversation shifted to other topics.
Wendy was going to have to dig up the courage to put her heart on the line. It would be terrifying to say the least. She already knew that. But the best things in life sometimes required a person to go out of their comfort zone.
“I’m soglad you agreed to lunch. You’ve been so busy lately, I feel like we haven’t seen each other in forever.” Hallie gave Wendy a pointed look.
Wendy ducked her head, biting back a smile. She was certain that Hallie knew the reason Wendy had beenbusylately. The antique shop business hadn’t changed. The only variable was a certain guy who refused to leave Wendy alone.
“So… are you going to tell me? Or do I have to give you the third degree?”
Wendy blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Liar,” Hallie crowed. “You’re such a big, fat liar. I’m pretty sure every single person at my family’s ranch is aware that Tripp isn’t exactly dating around anymore. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with you. Admit it.”
Shrugging, Wendy flashed her friend a smile. “I can’t account for every hour of every day. We hang out a lot, yes. And we’renotdating.”
“Right,” Hallie drawled. “And I don’t attend every single rodeo for a chance to ‘hang out’ with Jacob.”
Wendy stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and pointed at her friend. “Iknewyou liked him.”
Hallie rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows that.” She frowned and tapped her chin with her finger. “Except maybe Jacob. I used to think he knew, but honestly, I can’t tell. We’re just…” She sighed with resignation. “Friends.”
Wendy winced. She was really beginning to resent that title for her own relationship with Tripp. But she had no one to blame but herself. She’d insisted they needed to remain friends.
“Yeah,” Hallie murmured, apparently noticing Wendy’s reaction. “Exactly.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Her friend attempted to keep her voice light, but it was clear she was struggling with her feelings for Jacob.
Wendy wanted to tell her it would work out, but she didn’t have a leg to stand on. Right now, she was shaking in her boots just thinking about telling Tripp that she’d changed her mind about their relationship status.
“Enough about me. Tell me about you and my cousin. Please tell me that you and Tripp are finally official. You have to be, with the way things are going.”
She couldn’t confirm something that wasn’t true. So she shrugged.
“Wendy.” Hallie’s voice was sing-song and full of teasing. “Let me live vicariously through you. Please.” She tugged on Wendy’s hand.
“Fine,” Wendy said with exasperation. “We’re not official, but that might change.”
Hallie gasped. “When?”
She shrugged again.
“When?”
Wendy blushed deeply. “We haven’t talked about crossing that line recently. Maybe I’ll say something the next time I see him.”
Disappointment flickered in Hallie’s eyes. Her lower lip puckered into a pout. “You’re no fun. Maybe? Seriously?”
“Yes,maybe.”
Her friend’s focus flickered to the side and immediately her pout disappeared. “Okay, well here’s your chance. He’s right over there.”
Wendy jumped and spun around to find Tripp heading down the sidewalk on the other side of the street. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been over there. Chances were slim he hadn’t seen them otherwise he would have come to talk to them.
