Page 26 of The Catch

“I didn’t say that.” Three pairs of eyes stared at her impatiently.“Fine. I had every intention of screwing him on the beach and then leaving, but it didn’t happen that way.”

Sonya pulled in a sharp gasp. “Catia!”

“What? You said I should have a little fun. He’s hot, he wanted me, but clearly, I can’t even pull off vacation sex.” She buried her face in her hands and the scent of Josh’s sweatshirt filled her nostrils, adding insult to injury. “I suck, you guys.”

“Maybe it’s a sign,” Emma said. “Your little plan was thwarted because you’re supposed to take this more seriously.”

“It was thwarted because of a rainstorm and his two friends.”

Dani leaned forward and flicked Cat’s ponytail. “I think you’re just scared.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?”

“Because it’s true,” Dani said. “Miss All Men Suck met a real-life Prince Charming, and shelikes him.” It was a sing-songy taunt, and if they were still kids, she would have shoved Dani down and kicked dirt on her dress.

“I didn’t say I liked him.”

Emma groaned. “Please. Is that his sweatshirt clutched in your hand like a teddy bear?”

Cat looked down at the tight hold she had on her little memento, then let it fall from her fingers. “Fine,” she said, rubbing her temples, “but I don’t know what I’m doing. One minute we’re talking about the thunder, the next minute I’m asking Josh to take me to his room. I mean, he seems incredibly sweet and he’s really, really good looking…” She sighed as her friends nodded and chimed in their agreement. “But this is silly. Men like that don’t exist, and you don’t meet them at a bar. It’s just this place. It made me forget about how things work when you’re not sipping cocktails on the beach, when you’re back in the real world. A guy like Josh? That’s just asking for trouble. His pretty blue eyes making me all flustered… then I end up looking like an idiot when he turns out to be some kind of a jerk. I’m not falling for that. I told you all I would have a good time, and I did, but I certainly don’t have it bad for anyone.”

Exhausted from her soliloquy, Cat looked around the car to see all three of them staring at her; Dani rolled her eyes, Sonya shook her head, and Emma gave her that pitying look she’d come to know all too well.

“Cat, do you hear yourself right now?” Sonya asked. “Liking a guy doesn’t make you silly. And not every man is going to turn out to be a dick just because Micah did.”

“He seems like a good guy, Cat,” Emma added. “You’re making a mistake if you don’t see where this goes. You two have an energy between you. We all saw it.”

Dani laughed. “I thought they’d both lost the ability to speak when they first met.” She let her mouth fall open, and her eyes bug out, apparently in imitation.

“Exactly,” Emma said.

An energy.That’s what she’d confessed to Josh before she said goodbye. There was some weird thing that overtook her senses and made her go all soft when he was around. She leaned her head against the window, closing her eyes to her friends’ pity, and remembered how she felt standing on that beach, wrapped up in Josh’s arms, like she’d found something that was about to shake her world. But the best thing you can do when your world is about to be shaken is to find somewhere safe and hold on tight. Shelter in place and wait for it to blow over. Or even better, defend yourself.

“Okay, Em,” she said, wrenching herself back to reality. “I’ll make you a little wager. Josh said he wants to see me again after we leave here. I’ll do it. I’ll go out with him, but I bet you all it takes is a little time on dry land for this Prince to lose his Charm.”

Emma shook her head. “I’m not betting that, Cat. I’d never gamble on your happiness.”

“Why not, if you’re so sure? You think I make up my problems with men, but you’ll see. Strip away the vacation goggles and he’ll be just like the rest.”

“I’ll take that bet,” Dani chimed in.

“Me too,” Sonya said. Emma groaned theatrically. “What, Emma? I like this Josh guy. I think he’s gonna turn our little kitty cat around.”

“Okay,” Cat said, feeling her sails billow with the reminder of all the reasons and responses she’d been carrying around before Josh had made her temporarily forget them. “The terms are this: I go out with Josh, Prince Charming from the dive bar, and as soon as the castle comes crumbling down, you two pay up.”

“Pay what?” Dani asked.

“Starbucks every day for a year.”

“Or,” Sonya said, “you fall madly in love with him and have to spend the rest of your days thanking us publically on every relationship milestone you hit until death do you part.”

“So dramatic,” Cat said, rolling her eyes.

“I’d like to go on record as saying I don’t like this one bit,” Emma said. “You’re mocking fate.”

“Duly noted,” Cat said. She turned to Dani and Sonya. “You’ve got a deal.”

Ten

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