I grimaced. “Yeah. I’m usually better about triple-checking them.”
“You’ve had a lot on your plate,” Maverick said sympathetically.
It was nice enough of him not to mention the elephant in the room, but hell, we all knew what he meant, anyway.
“This Bryson thing is throwing me off my game.”
“You really like him, huh?” Jamie asked cautiously.
I sighed. “Yeah, and before you ask,yes.I was texting him in my car.”
Jamie gave an excited wiggle, not unlike a dog wagging its tail, and I hurried to add, “But just to check the name of his store. It’d be embarrassing if Branson brought it up and I didn’t know.”
“Uh-huh.” Maverick carried the bouquet he’d arranged to the cooler and set it inside. “So, that’s your story?”
“And I’m sticking to it,” I said.
“Well, for the record, I think you guys would be good together,” he said. “But only if you’re ready for that.”
I picked at the food carton Jamie had slid my way. I barely had an appetite after all the sampling at Noel’s table. “I don’t know if I am.” I swallowed. “I didn’t think I’d ever be.”
Jamie made a soft noise. “You deserve to be happy.”
“I’m happy,” I said.
At their skeptical looks, I added, “Ish. I’m happy-ish.”
Maverick returned to the counter and dug into his hot links. “Yeah, I remember happy-ish. It felt like enough at the time, but now…” He exchanged a meaningful look with Jamie, who nodded agreement. “Well, we just want you to lose the ish, babe.”
“I know,” I said softly. “I didn’t know there was an ish, not until recently. But I’m not sure I want to trade it in. What if it only leads to more pain?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Maverick said.
That’s what I was afraid of. It was a risk, and I’d already gambled my heart once and lost. I couldn’t run away and start over if Bryson hurt me. I didn’t have it in me to do that all over again.
If I gave him a chance, and it didn’t work out, I wasn’t sure I could handle it.
Jamie put a hand on my arm. “You gotta have faith, Silas. If you don’t believe, how can anyone else?”
I slumped forward over the counter. “What if I don’t know how?”
“Then you’ll figure it out,” Maverick said. “Take your time. I don’t think Bryson is going anywhere.”
I thought of him sitting and laughing with Paxton. Whatif I dragged my feet and he met another man? Bryson was gorgeous and charming. Anyone would be a fool not to want to be with him.
My heart ached.
Me. I was the fool.
And if I didn’t figure out my shit, I might lose my chance with him.
CHAPTER 14
Love is like a fire. One good match will keep you warm for years. Of course, if you’re not careful, it can also burn everything down.
— MATCHMAKING MAMAS
Bryson
