Page 146 of Romeo

Me: I miss you. Five.

I hit send and set the phone on the table.

Jack’s amusement faded as he watched me. “You’ve got it bad, brother.”

“Yeah.”

There wasn’t much else to say.

A few months ago, admitting that in front of one of the brothers might’ve annoyed me. Now it felt stupid to pretend.

Ma Belle: That’s cheating

Me: Did you smile?

Her answer took a few seconds.

Ma Belle: Maybe

That was enough. I looked toward Jack. “Pay up.”

“What?”

“She smiled.”

“You don’t know that.”

I turned the phone so he could see the screen.

Jack read the message. “She said maybe.”

“Which means yes.”

“That is not how language works.”

“It is with her.”

Me: Tell Jack he owes me twenty dollars.

Ma Belle: I’m not helping you win money

He muttered something about delusional assholes while pulling a twenty from his wallet and tossing it onto the table. I picked it up and tucked it into my pocket.

Me: Too late. Your “maybe” made me rich.

Ma Belle: Twenty dollars isn’t rich

Me: It’ll buy enough gas to get me a little closer to Rosewood.

Ma Belle: Not much closer

I looked at that one for a second.

There were moments with Fiona when I could almost feel the distance between us—not because of how far apart we were, but because both of us kept standing at the edge of something, waiting to see who moved first.

Me: Then I’ll have to decide whether you’re worth paying for the rest.

Her answer came quickly.