What a revelation and a rush.
“Leon, my mom has had the best idea.” Eyes wide, she sounds so happy. Happier than I’ve seen her in a long time.
Having spent many days and nights with Erika, I know her, but when she’s with Huck, it’s as if she tones down her personality to a meek one whenever he’s nearby.
Relationships are the one thing we don’t share much about. We tend to stay on the outskirts—her rare date nights with Huck, the people I hook up with—but we never really go too deep. Erika mentions some arguments she and Huck have over how many hours she works, the long shifts, and how tired she is, which limits her attendance at some of his gigs. But he’s a selfish prickwho forgets who pays for everything. Thinking about it now, recently, I’ve just realized she hasn’t talked about him at all. I guess it’s because I never asked. Maybe that makes me a bad friend, but I’ve barely asked about her wedding plans either. Not because I didn’t care, but because just thinking about her with Huck makes me sick. The idea of him touching her, waking up next to her, hearing her laughter every day, it’s unbearable. I fucking hated him. Hated him because I thought he loved her in a way I could only do from afar.
But she’s here with me now because he lost her. He blew it.
“What’s your mom’s idea?” I ask, knowing exactly what comes next.
Enthusiastically, she beams at me. “Mom suggested I still go on my honeymoon; you know, to give me time to decompress, forget about everything, and fill myself up with vitamin D.”
I’d like to fill Erika up with something beginning with D.
I push my erotic thoughts about her, which I have many of, away. “That’s a great idea.”
“I know you might have a lot on your plate since it’s the off-season, and I understand this is your busiest time for contract negotiations and player movement, but the flight isn’t for another week, which would give you time to reorganize your calendar. So I thought maybe you could do that, then, maybe you could come to Bora Bora with me?” She pushes her finger into her mouth and nervously nibbles on her perfectly manicured nail, waiting for my answer.
Another thing I love about Erika is that she shows interest in my job and knows my schedule.
I visualize my calendar mentally. I know I have a fuckton of contracts and deals to negotiate, along with meetings and video calls, but nothing I can’t handle before I leave. If anything urgent came up, my team is always prepared, and I can take my phone and laptop with me just in case to cover my ass.
I point my finger at my chest, pretending to be surprised. “You want me to come with you?”
“Yes.” Her brows lift toward her hairline. “It would be amazing, Leon. Las Vegas first, then Bora Bora. C’mon. Say yes. Please.” She prolongs her last word, emphasizing the letter E while bouncing on her toes and pressing her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, begging me to agree.
I pretend to think about it for a moment when all I want to do is scream my answer from the rooftops and tell her yes. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Slowly, I reply, “Okay.” I could never say no to her.
Erika claps her hands before rushing over to me and flinging her arms around my neck. “You’re the best friend anyone could ask for. Have I ever told you that?”
I wince at her friend zone comment. Fuck, that stings.
Friend. That’s all I am to her.
“You’ve told me many times,” I reply, feeling heavy-hearted yet hopeful at the same time. It’s a complicated mix of emotions that I’ve carried with me for years and despise.But what if we could be more, and I finally get the girl I’ve been pining over for years?
Could Erika’s family’s plan really work?
Fuck it, I’m willing to give it a shot.
I wrap my arms around Erika and pat her back when all I really want to do is tuck myself into the crook of her neck and breathe her in because she smells like the remnants of her perfume and my shower gel mixed together. She smells likeus.
With Erika pressed against me, I awkwardly look up to see Ash, Lily, and now Judy, who has entered the room, grinning at us.
Sneaky schemers.
But I just might love them even more for it.
Ash runs his hands down his face as if he’s already struggling with the idea of us being a couple, while Lily makes a heart shape with her fingers. The two of them are such a complete contrast to each other.She’s exactly what Ash needs.
“I wondered if I can ask another favor?” Erika asks, easing out of our embrace I wish lasted longer than just a few seconds.
“Ask away.”
