Page 135 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

“But that’s not the part that scares me. My biggest worry is that he lives in the city and never stops working.”

Noa nodded, leaning closer. “You know what me and Ginty went through. With our crazy schedules, we didn’t think we stood a chance. When would we even see each other? But we had a decision to make. We knew this kind of love only came around once. Soon enough, he’ll retire, and I’ll slow down, and then what will the rest of our lives look like if we don’t have each other?”

“That’s a really good point.” Although, with Slick’s job, he’d never slow down.

“It’s only a decision you and Booker can make, but the way that man looks at you…damn.”

Her senses sharpened, and she turned to her friend. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, honey, youdelighthim. He’s always watching you with this longing in his eyes, and he smiles at everything you do or say. I mean, you could fart, and he’d find it adorable.”

Lorelei grinned. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far. But yeah, it’s good between us. Really good.”

“Let me ask you something. Is the distance really the problem? Or is it something else?”

She let out a bitter laugh. “I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m over what Landon and Cissy did to me. Thanks to them, I can’t help but look for red flags. Every time I get all up in my feelings, this alarm goes off in my body.Mayday, Mayday.Was that a red flag he just threw down?”

“Has he given you a reason not to trust him?” Noa asked.

“Just one. Maybe.”

Noa made a gimme motion.

“Remember what he said earlier, that he puts everyone in categories? Ginty’s a client. George is a colleague.”

“And you’re a hot piece of ass.”

“I know, right?” Lorelei tossed a balled-up cocktail napkin at her. “Can you be serious for five minutes?”

“Uh, I was very serious. You’re hot.”

“Yeah, no. At best, I’m girl-next-door cute.”

Noa reared back, then shook her head. “You do not let the media define you. You define yourself. Now, get back to the red flag.”

“This afternoon, at the fair, he left the tent to talk to George, and he said, ‘You’re a good friend. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I really don’t.’”

“That’s it? That’s what he said that made the lights flash and sirens go off?”

“I know. It sounds ridiculous. But he doesn’t call anyone his friend. And his tone was all soft and…I don’t know. All I can say is I know how he talks to people, and I’ve never heard that.”

“Are you saying he’s into his partner? That he has feelings for him?”

“No, no, nothing like that. It didn’t sound romantic. Just…I had one impression of him, and then, hearing him say that felt like a total reversal.”

“I’m not sure I understand. Are you saying you need him to be the version of him you’re comfortable with? Any deviation, and he can’t be trusted?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Lorelei laughed. “I guess I’mlookingfor red flags.”

“Sounds like it. Looking for them seems like a recipe for failure. Maybe, instead, you can trust your gut. What does it say about him?”

Oh, she appreciated that perspective. “My gut says he’s changing because of me. And that he can call George a friend now because he…” She wasn’t sure of the right way to say it.He likes me…? He feels great affection for me?It was way too soon for love, right? But when she spotted him across the room, she found him watching her. And there was no denying it. “He’s crazy about me.”

“He is. Did Landon ever look at you like that?”

“Landon didn’t even look at pizza like that.” And he didn’t look at Cissy that way, either. He was flat emotionally. Booker roiled with emotion, and she was sure he wouldn’t be able to knock down his walls unless he had big feelings for her.

That’s what my gut tells me.

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