Butterflies flood my chest at the thought. “Okay. See you later.”
15
ASTRID
“Ineed all the gossip right this fucking second,” Gwen says, dragging me around to one of the side terraces at the hotel.
“We need to sign in,” I protest as she pulls me down onto a bench that looks out over the largest lake in town.
“Our shift doesn’t start for ten minutes. We have time. Girl, what happened with Callan last night? Did you two fuck?”
I blink repeatedly. “What about last night gave you the impression I’d hand over my V-card just like that?”
“You two looked all cozy on the couch.”
“Not as cozy as you and Scott.”
“Nice deflection, but it won’t work. Spill, Azzie. What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
She eyes me skeptically. “I swear, we didn’t even kiss.” I fill her in on what happened with Joe and my conversation with Callan in Thor’s bedroom and his proposal.
Her mouth hangs open. “He wants tofake dateyou?”
“Yup.” I slouch on the bench, trying to fight the dejection I feel whenever I think about it.
“Please tell me you’re not going to agree?”
“I…I’m not sure. I mean, there are pros. Mainly getting Joe to back down, and it’ll help to keep me focused for the rest of senior year.”
“Babe.” Gwen tilts her head to one side as her expression softens. “This is the worst idea for someone like you.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I straighten up.
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I meant it as a compliment. You are always honest and upfront with people, and authenticity is important to you. Deceiving your friends and lying to your parents is not you. Think about how you’ll feel every time you’re spinning a lie? You’d hate it. And the other issue is youlikehim, Azzie. You already admitted it. If he felt the same, he’d want to properly date you. Callan suggesting this means he only sees you as a friend.”
“I know that.”
“I think you’re hoping it means something else. I know I would in your shoes. Azzie, please, listen to me.” She clasps my hands. Her face is awash with concern. “I don’t want you to get hurt, and pretending to date the guy you’re falling for is a disaster in the making. Protect your heart. Tell him no and try to put him out of your mind.”
“What if he suggested this as a way to test the waters with me? If I say no, I’m closing myself to the possibility there could be an us.”
“Callan doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would play games like that.”
I sigh. “Yeah, you’re right.” I glance at my watch and stand. “We need to get inside.”
Gwen rises and walks beside me, looping her arm through mine. “I love you like a sister, you know that, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then I say this as one sister to another. Callan is a nice guy, but he’s no different than the other players at school. Hesays he doesn’t have time for distractions, but that doesn’t mean hookups. A guy like him has probably had a lot of sex and?—”
“And he wouldn’t be interested in an inexperienced virgin like me.”
“No.” Gwen pulls me to a stop at the corner of the hotel building. “That is not what I was going to say.” Compassion splays across her face. “Reading between the lines, Callan doesn’t want a relationship. He wants casual sex with no strings, and you don’t do that. Nor do I think you should start. You shouldn’t have to change who you are for a guy.”
I hate to admit that Gwen is making a lot of sense, but she is, except for one thing. “If he were exclusive with me, he wouldn’t be having sex with anyone.”
