AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She swallows her pancake, pushing the plate away. “Carbs are too addictive. That’s my limit.”
“You took one bite.”
“Miss Egg-Whites-and-Spinach should understand.”
I nod and laugh. “Maybe I shouldn’t do it,” I say, my nerves getting the best of me.
“Not tell Jude?” She forks another bite of pancake, unable to help herself.
“If he doesn’t feel the same way, it’ll change our dynamic. I should wait until after we finish bingeing the crime show at least.”
The pancake rests on the edge of her fork, and her eyes drill into mine for a second, then two, then three.
I squirm under her scrutiny. “I get it. I just really want to know what happened to the girl on the show, and if he turns me down, I won’t be able to watch it. We don’t have that streaming platform at my little cottage.”
She puts the delicious-looking pancake in her mouth, still saying nothing until she swallows. “If he doesn’t see what’s right in front of him after all these years, it’s about time you move on. I mean…”
Here we go. The same talk everyone gives me. I can’t wait around for Jude Noughton forever.
“Eventually, you have to move?—”
“I know!” I say too loudly and lower my voice. “I know. I do. But it’s like I don’t see other guys.”
“Really? No one else?”
“Well, I mean, sure, models and actors, but no one local. There’s no one else.” With my eyes, I will her to understand.
“Well, if this goes south, we’re going to Lincoln. You’ll find a great rebound there.”
“Is it technically a rebound if he was never mine?” I tilt my head.
The waitress comes back over and puts my plate of food in front of me. My stomach grumbles. I thank her, and she gives me a soft smile before helping the people two tables down.
“Let’s put this plan in motion. Today is the day.”
“Today?” My eyebrows raise. “It’s Sunday.”
She swipes a blueberry from my cup and pops it in her mouth. “What were you going to do? Meet him on the ranch tomorrow while he’s got his hands on Bessie’s udders and say, ‘why don’t you touch mine?’”
I cringe. “Gross. And he doesn’t milk Bessie.”
She laughs. “Get that phone out and text him.”
I set my fork down and reach into my purse, my thumb hovering over his name on the screen.
“Calm that racing heart. You’re just asking him to meet up,” Lottie says.
I nod, giving myself a small mental pep talk that there’s a reason I asked Lottie to meet me for breakfast this morning. And there’s a reason why something shifted last night and told me now is the time. I know I’m not alone in this. I know the guy well enough, so I need to stop freaking out.
Then again, what if he doesn’t feel the same as me? I can’t imagine not having him in my life. And let’s be honest, if he doesn’t feel the same way, Jude will retreat, and I might never get him to open up to me.
“Give me the phone.” She puts her hand out over the table.
I grip it tighter and shake my head. “I can do it.”
“Okay then.” She forks more pancake.
Any other day, I’d call her out like she always tells me to because as she puts it “she’s her own worst enemy,” but she was a good friend this morning when I woke her up and said we had to meet.
