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Because I am closed-off. “I’m not interested in him.” And I’m more than cordial to Dalton. I sat with him on his bed when he wore nothing but boxers. That’s way more than cordial.
“Why?” Lauren asks. “He’s not bad to look at.”
I shrug. Looks are only skin-deep.
“Are you so stubborn you’ll refuse to ever consider getting to know any man?” she pushes.
“Hey, I practically spent a whole night talking to Dalton,” I argue.
Marian lifts her brows, surprised. “You did?”
“At Copper Mountain.” Before she can latch on to that and try to be matchmaker or cupid, I add, “He doesn’t like me like that. I don’t think he likes me very much at all.” Sure, we shared a bit, but things aren’t rosy between us. We’re both too jaded not to be more amicable.
Lauren smirks. “He looks at you in a way that makes me think he likes you very much.”
“Like he wants to eat you,” Marian says, waggling her brows.
I slant her an incredulous look. I cannot believe she said that! She’s no prude, but wow.
I’m a bit taken aback by these women and their conclusions that Dalton’s got the hots for me. I feel hot. My cheeks warm, and I hate that I’m blushing about any of this. But I can’t help it. It’s instinct. The idea of Dalton viewing me as someone he wants makes me feel something.
Stubborn to a fault, I brush them off. I shake my head, ready to make it clear nothing is happening between me and Dalton. “I don’t anticipate starting anything up with Dalton. Or Hayes,” I add with a point at each of them. “So don’t go getting any more ideas, like faking you hurt your ankle to force me to spend time alone with him.”
“I haven’t done that!” she protests.
“Why not?” Marian asks. “That’s a brilliant plan.”
I narrow my eyes at her, then Lauren. “Sure, like you didn’t try to set us up together to hike as a couple while you and Caleb hung out at the chalet.”
Now Lauren’s cheeks turn a bright pink.
“Uh-oh.” Marian giggles. “I think you’re busted for sneaking away from your friends to get a quickie.”
Lauren clamps her lips shut tight but loses the fight to a smile. “Fine. Guilty as charged to wanting some alone time away with Caleb. But there was nothing quick about it.”
I roll my eyes and leave the porch to put my things away in the shed. Marian gasps as a timer sounds in the distance, and she gets up in a hurry. “My dryer!” She hurries into the house, calling back over her shoulder, “I wanted to have my ‘good’ jeans dry before we go into Denver tonight!”
“You should let them hang and air dry,” I call out to her. “They’ll be too tight after heat cycles in the dryer.”
Lauren approaches, reaching for my hand to stall me from going to the shed. “Hey. Listen. I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.” At least I’ve given up lying to myself that I’m fine. It has to be progress.
“I can tell something is going on with you,” she says. “Something I hope you’ll feel comfortable telling me when you’re ready.”
She’s always been so perceptive like this. So observant and quick to worry. I’m used to the way she can read me like a book. We’ve been too close of friends—more like sisters—that we wouldn’t have that deep of a familiarity with each other.
A sliver of guilt hits me. I should tell her. I should feel comfortable enough to be upfront and honest with her. But this news could hurt her, too, and I cling to the martyrdom a little longer. If I can spare her any negativity from Jeremy, I will. I can’t tell her the truth about my situation yet. I need to, but now isn’t the time.
“I’m here for you, Aubrey.” She draws in a steadying breath, and I fear she’s fighting tears and getting emotional. “I hope you know that. Even though I’m moving so fast with Caleb, my love for him will never ever replace you as my best friend.”
“Is this a weird way of proposing you want to try a threesome?”
She sniffles and barks out an incredulous laugh. I smile as she immediately cracks up at my absurd question out of the blue. Just like I intended. I don’t want her to be sad or remorseful, and throwing in ridiculous humor does the trick.
“What? No!”
I giggle.
