“Jeez, dude, I’m just asking a question.” I jerk my eyes toward him and glare. “Do you or do you not want me to come to you when I have problems?”
He gets the same look I get when I’m torn. “Depends on the problem.”
I snort. “Oh, so girl problems are off-limits?”
“I didn’t say that.” Dad adjusts the radio’s volume until it’s almost silent. “I just didn’t think you’d come tomeabout them. This is usually Mom’s territory.”
Fair. I didn’t think I’d go to him, either, but here we freakingare.
“Look, girls are complicated.” His voice sounds strangled. “They say one thing and mean another. They expect you to justknowthings without them telling you.” He shakes his head. “It’s a nightmare.”
“Great.” Just the pep talk I needed.
Dad shifts again, like he’s physically uncomfortable having this conversation, and honestly?Same.
“So,” he says, clearing his throat. “Is there a girl who likesyou?”
I huff a breath, crossing my arms over my chest. “I don’tknow. That’s why I’m asking.”Duh.
His smirk is barely there. “Well, she’s not doing a great job hiding it if evenyou’resuspicious.”
I glare some more, staring out the side window.
Harpermightlike me. But shecould’vebeen talking about someone else last night. If that’s the case, why did it feel like she was waiting for me to figure it out on my own? Her clues sucked as bad as my guesswork.
“Hey, relax,” Dad says. “Son, let me give you some advice.”
“Oh, good.” I groan. “More wisdom.”
He ignores my sarcasm. “If a girl likes you, she won’t tell you—she’llshowyou.”
I frown. “Show me? What does that even mean?”
“She’ll find ways to be near you. Touch you. She’ll probably stare. Try to make you read between the lines like a damn magician.” He shrugs. “And if you’rereallydumb, she’ll start dropping hints so obvious you’ll feel like a fucking idiot for not catching them sooner.”
A sinking feeling twists in my gut, because that’sexactlywhat Harper did.
Detonated land mines all over our conversation.
She stares at me.
Lingers at the locker, pretending to gather her crap when it’s obvious she has nothing to grab.
And she kissed me back…
“Bud?”
I look at my dad across the cab of his SUV.
“If you’re not sure, you need to ask yourself—do youwanther to like you?”
Do I want Harper to like me? I’ve spent months—years—thinking about Maddie Miller. Watching her from a distance, waiting for some moment, an opening, a chance to impress her. And for a while, that was enough. I was content to have my crush continue unrequited. It suited me fine.
But lately, seeing Maddie doesn’t hit me in the gut the same way. There are no stomach flips. No racing pulse.
Lately, my head’s been filled with someone else.
Harper rolls her eyes at me but sticks around. She challenges me, makes me want to be myself, even when she’s annoying ashell.
