Page 61 of My Fiancé's Brother

“Thank-you,” I said, suddenly exhausted with this conversation.

“So if you're not going to invite me over for dinner, do you mind giving me his number?”

“Why don’t I give him yours tonight,” I compromised. I wasn’tgoing to inflict more pain on him by subjecting him to Julie’s excessive determination.

“Right now. Send it to him right now.”

“Julie, have you ever heard about playing hard to get?”

“Nope,” she said. “Give it to him. I'll take it from there.”

“Fine,” I said. “I promise as soon as I hang up I'll text him your number.”

“Thanks, gorgeous. I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

I walked over to the whiteboard in the kitchen where Jackson had written his cell out in black marker. I shook my head. I would pass on her digits, and he could do what he wanted with that information.

Me: Jackson, it’s Emily

Jackson: Hey

Me: Julie asked me for your number. I didn’t give it to her, but she asked me to provide you with hers. 718-425-3423

Jackson: Not interested

I stared at my phone for a long time. And reread those two words again and again.

Me: She made me promise to text it to you, so there you go. Sorry to interrupt

Jackson: You’re not interrupting

Me: You and Irene’s time together

Jackson: I dropped Irene off at her hotel. I'm picking her up later

I stared at the phone. I wasn’t expecting a conversation with him over text. Curiosity drove me to keep talking to him.

Me: Why don’t you think you're interested in Julie?

Jackson: I don’t think she’s a good friend to you

What? What did that even mean?

Me: Care to elaborate?

Jackson: No

Me: You must have some reason for saying that

Jackson: I saw enough of who she is to know that I don’t want to go on a date with her

Me: I don’t know if she is looking for a date…per se

Jackson: I saw enough to know I don’t want to fuck her either

Me: Blushing now. Bye!

Jackson: You walked right into that one

---