“Okay,” Nicole cuts in. “This is what you’re going to do. You’re going to play it cool and feel him out. If it seems like he might have feelings too, subtly say something to him.”
“Subtle never works with men,” Ellie says, shaking her head. “You have to be direct. Don’t beat around the bush. When the time feels right, just lay down your cards.”
The thought of being that vulnerable makes my skin prickle.
“What if the time never feels right?”
Ellie sighs. “I say life is too short. If you’re feeling something, say something about it. And if he’s not feeling it too, which I’d doubt that’s the case, then you just say goodbye and move on.”
Nicole tilts her head to the side. “Just do what you feel is right, Jade.”
“What if I don’t know what is right?”
What if he rejects me completely? What if I’ve gone and ruined it all?
Nicole smiles. “You will. When you see him, when the time is right, trust me… you will.”
The server comes back to us, and we order dessert that none of us need, but we do it for the sake of extending our lunch date. I’m the one who shifts the conversation to Ellie and her job. Now is not the time to spiral over the feelings I have for Matteo. The feelings I swore I wouldn’t have.
Dessert comes and goes, then the server comes back with our bill and our time is up. Like all good things, the moment comes to an end. We head out to the sidewalk, the three of us lingering, tears threatening to spill as we all come together, arms wrapping around one another.
“New York isn’t that far,” Nicole says again and I’m not sure if she’s telling Ellie and me or herself.
“We’ll talk every day,” Ellie chimes in, her voice thick with emotion.
“This doesn’t change our friendship,” I add, sniffling as Nicole pulls back from us. I wipe the tears away from my face.
Whether our friendship changes or not, everything will look a little different after next week.
Her eyes glimmer with hope and excitement as she smiles at the two of us. “Love you, besties.”
“Love you too,” Ellie and I say in unison, smiling back at her, knowing it’s only fair for us to feel the same excitement for her.
Nicole deserves nothing but happiness. Nothing but all the good things life has to offer.
And honestly… I think we all deserve that, too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MATTEO
“When I saw her with him, I couldn’t stop myself from intervening. I shouldn’t have wanted her, but there was no way I could stand by while someone else had her.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
Tonight was one hell of a game. We almost lost it in overtime but thank god Cross came through and won the damn thing for us.
We’ve been unstoppable lately. The entire team has stepped it up and has been playing on a completely different level than we were at the beginning of the year. We’ve been winning most of our games, with an occasional loss here and there.
We need all the points we can get right now if we want to have a chance at the playoffs. There’s still a month left until the regular season is over. Anything can happen. Things can change within the blink of an eye.
I shake the thoughts from my head, walking down the hallway to my hotel room. There’s a tightness in my chest as I slip into the empty room, heading into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
I used to love being on the road. Now, I hate it.
We’re only away for a few days, and all I can think about is getting back home to Jade.
I can’t help but open up my messages as I climb into bed, immediately opening the thread with her. My fingers move across the screen, typing out a message and then deleting it.
I miss you, Sunny. I wish I was in bed with you instead of alone in this hotel room.
