Page 76 of Love Sick

Do I want him to flirt with me, though? This new flirtation with Julian is all tingles and excitement. It’s natural. Easy. Flirting with someone else will still be as awkward as it always is.

But maybe…

Back at my apartment, I FaceTime with Mom and Dad before I grab my laptop and flashcards and head to Julian’s like we planned. My knock on his door is answered at once, but only wide enough to show his face.

“Oh hey. What’s up?”

I laugh at the sliver of him I can see and display my flashcards. “Didn’t we have plans to study tonight?”

“Oh—um—” He glances into his apartment, hesitating.

My shoulders fall. “Did I misremember?”

“Yeah.” He lowers his voice, words rushed. “Look. Maybe we can do it tomorrow. Would you mind?”

“No, that’s fine. Sorry I bothered you.” I glance at his hand white-knuckling the doorframe, suspicions forming. “Do—is there someone else in there?”

“Um—” he says at the same time I flush and say, “Sorry, that was rude. It’s not my business.”

“No, that’s not—”

A female voice interrupts him. “Julian, is someone here?”

Julian’s eyes flutter shut, and he lets out a slow breath. His hand goes slack on the door right before it’s jerked open by a girl.

Silky dark hair. Knockout body. She’s taller than me and my gaze falls to my feet as an overwhelming flood of embarrassment and jealousy threatens to drown me.

Wait. Jealousy?

No. That can’t be right.

It’s Saturday night. It only makes sense he’d be dating. Of course he brings girls to his apartment.Of coursehe doesn’t want to spend his free nights studying with the dorky girl downstairs.

I’m so stupid.

Before I can stop it, my subconscious swipes right over the image of him snuggling a baby, and my entire soul droops.

Your eggs are dying,my ovaries remind me, and throw crying emojis all over my mind.

Ridiculous. I’m only twenty-seven. I don’t even really want him! He’s just…pretty. Or something.

“Who’s this, BB?” The girl’s tone makes no sense. Instead of suspicion, she’s full of…triumph?

Julian sighs. “Can you just not do the thing that you’re about to do right now?”

“Whatever could you mean?” The girl’s hand clamps on my wrist and drags me inside the apartment.

I trip over the threshold, gripping my laptop and flashcards to my chest. My eyes meet Julian’s, then this stranger’s and a click takes place in my mind. The depthless eyes staring at me from this beautiful woman’s face are familiar.

She sticks her hand out. “I’m Tori Santini.”

Santini.

Joy fills to the brim, and an inexplicable fondness for this woman wakes inside me. “Oh.” I grasp her hand, masking my relief behind a bright smile. “Grace. I’m Grace Rose.”

Her eyes light up the same way her brother’s do and she switches her gaze to Julian. “This is Red Dress?”

I drop her hand. “You know about my dress?”

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