Page 49 of The Trouble with Flings

“We connected last summer when she was visiting the island.”

“Last summer,” my mother repeats with interest. “And you’ve been seeing her since then?”

“No,” I say, and silence settles around us.

“Does that mean she blew you off?” Bellamy asks.

“Did she ghost you?” Keira asks.

“Why would she do that?” Jules asks. “Fitz is so nice.”

“We don’t know how he is with the women he’s seeing,” Keira points out. “It’s not like we’ve seen him with anyone in the last decade.”

“She didn’t ghost me,” I clarify.

“Oh no,” Bellamy says sarcastically. “Is this a case of golden boy not being able to get his girl?”

“No,” I say flatly.

“Then what’s the problem?” Keira asks. “Was she only a hookup?”

Jesus. “No.”

“It’s complicated,” Wells offers.

“Why?” Bellamy pushes.

I’m seriously wishing I’d skipped this breakfast. “She just needs time to come around to the idea of us.”

Bellamy and Keira exchange an annoying glance I can’t read.

“The idea of you?” Bellamy asks.

“She said that?” Jules asks.

“I’m paraphrasing. She’s like Keira, not interested in relationships.”

“Wise woman,” Keira says. “In that case, you should back off, because if she’s like me, she’s not going to budge.”

I grind my back teeth, inhaling deeply through my nose in an effort to keep my expression even, and say, “I’m not backing off.”

Silence settles around the table.

“Good,” Jules says, breaking the silence. “Because she could change her mind. Grant tried to push me away, and look at us now.”

“She’s right,” Grant says, and pulls Jules into a kiss.

“I thought I was done until Wells charmed my pant—” Victory looks at my parents and says, “Charmed my socks off.”

We all laugh.

“Let me get this straight.” Bellamy waves her hand and ticks off her fingers as she says, “She didn’t say it’s complicated. She said she doesn’t want it. You think that means she just needs time. It’s been more than a month and she hasn’t come around, and you’ve apparently been secretly losing your mind about this woman since last summer. Do I have that right?”

“I’m not losing my mind,” I say firmly.

“Did you get her a Christmas present?” Keira challenges.

Damn it. “Maybe.”