Page 68 of Game Over

We ate for a few minutes, just enjoying the company. My eyes caught the diamond necklace around her neck, glimmering in the light coming down from the skylights. It looked really nice, she had great taste; I was sure Jesse would like the matching bracelets she picked.

“So, Jesse reminds you of a dog?” I asked.

“Puppy,” she corrected with a grin. “And yeah. He’s always given me that vibe. A golden retriever if you will.”

The corners of my lips turned up, matching hers. “Yeah… I always pegged him as more of a collie, cause of the shaggy hair.”

She laughs loudly. “I can see that too.”

The care in her gaze was obvious. “You really care about them don’t you?”

“Obviously,” she said. “I mean he’s…” she trailed off. “He’s amazing. But I don’t need to explain that to you, do I?”

Her gaze was pointed, and I shied away from it. “Yeah, they’re a great friend.”

“It’s more than that for you though, isn’t it?”

I took a sip of my soda, chewing on the striped plastic straw a bit. A bird that must have been let in through a loading dock shot across the top of the windowed atrium above and I tracked it with my eyes, still not interested in looking right at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I could all but hear the eye roll in her voice. “Okay. So those heart eyes you wear every time you see them are just for decoration?”

“Seems like you’re seeing things.” I glanced at her and her sharp gaze right at me was too much. I faced towards the pretzel cart quickly, looking it over as if it was the most novel thing I’d ever seen.

“Charlie,” she said, reaching her hand out across the table, drawing my attention. “It’s okay to be in love with Jesse.”

I wished then I hadn’t looked at her. Because I couldn’t lie to her. I could lie to me, I did for years, but one gaze at those chocolatey eyes and all the resolve I had—all the walls I built around that fact crumbled.

“It doesn’t matter if I did,” I tried for instead. “He hates me. I pushed into his relationship and mated with his girlfriend.”

“They will get over that,” Tara said easily.

“They’ll get over it for you,” I countered. “Me… I don’t know. I just don’t think we’re meant to be.”

“Do you love him?”

I swallowed, but didn’t say anything. If I couldn’t say it to them, I couldn’t say it to anyone.

After a few moments, a look of understanding crossed her face. “When you’re ready, I’ll help. And I know Jesse will come around.”

I gave her a light smile. “Thank you, babygirl.”

“Just call me the matchmaker,” she said with a smirk.

“Is the matchmaker ready to go home? Jesse should be done soon.”

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

I wanted to believe everything would work out and Jesse would come around, but it seemed less likely with each passing day. They didn’t really warm to me, just tolerated me being there. And I couldn’t get my hopes up.

I couldn’t be crushed by Jesse, because I knew I’d never recover.

We stepped into Jesse’s apartment and shut the door behind us. Checking the clock, his sixteen-hour stream should be wrapping up. We’d stopped at his preferredThai place on the way home and grabbed him some green curry, his favorite. They were sure to be hungry and exhausted, and we were both sure he wouldn’t want to cook.

It didn’t take long for his door to open and for him to come around on shuffling feet.

“Hey sweetie pie,” he said as soon as he saw Tara. His gaze didn’t even touch me.

She ran to them, hugging them tight. “I missed you. How was stream?”

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