Page 47 of Love Off Course

“And have you give me some ‘romantic comedy bullshit remedy’? Nah, I’m good.”

“God, you’re such a little bitch when your feelings are hurt. I’m being serious. You’re upset and we should talk about it.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Want to know the truth?”

He gives me an exasperated look. “Obviously.”

“I feel attached to her. She’s been nothing but a challenge I wanted to conquer. But somewhere along the way, I feel like Icracked her open and saw inside. I fucking liked everything she was hiding from the world. I wanted to see more.” I swipe the rain off my face with my palm. “She’s been nothing but upfront. She wants to get to her dad’s wedding and she’s been actively pursuing some guy who doesn’t deserve her. I thought…I don’t know what I thought or expected, but knowing she’s going back to him to continue her pursuit doesn’t sit well with me. Sher deserves tobepursued, not the other way around. He’s a dick for not realizing he’s had a good thing all along.”

Carson nods and leans forward, resting his elbows on his soaked jean-covered knees. “And you want to be the guy who pursues her?”

“Fuck yeah. I mean, no. It’s pointless. I have my job and she has her life. It’ll be like it was withMamá. I’ll never be home and she’ll be lonely. I know how these things go.”

“Are you done feeling sorry for yourself?”

“Asshole.”

He laughs. “Listen, I get it. I do. My story doesn’t differ too much from yours aside from the fact that I’m hotter. But I have to leave my family all the time. It’s the nature of my job. My wife knows what she married into and we make it work. Just because I fly planes for a living doesn’t mean I don’t deserve a family or love or happiness. Same goes for you, CZ. You’re allowed these things.”

“She has David,” I state bitterly.

“She could have you. But that would mean accepting some things you’re not ready to accept. Like the fact that love could happen in one day or three. That it’s not the wildest and craziest thing to happen out there. Sometimes, it just happens because it’s right.”

“I’m not in love with her.” I’msomethingwith her, though.

“Fine. Be stubborn and blind. But at least admit that youcouldfall in love with her given the time. Am I right?”

I nod. “I guess, though I haven’t ever been in love, so I wouldn’t recognize it even if it smacked me right in the face.”

He sighs and gives me a sad look. “Sometimes it’s less subtle than that. It’s seeing it walk away for you to realize what you had. I just hate watching you make the same mistakes as I did.”

“Okay, Dad,” I bite out.

“All I’m saying is you need to open your eyes and your heart to the possibility that you really, really like Sheridan and that she might be worth changing your dumbass ways for.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“Because it is, CZ.”

“Sheridan isn’t Krissy. She’s…” Bitchier. Frostier. Harder. So much more. More beautiful. More sweet. More sexy. More everything.

“What’s the worst that could happen if you told her how you feel?” he asks. “She’ll tell you it was a fun ride, but Prince David awaits. At least then, you tried.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“It is.”

“You’re fucking impossible, man.”

“You love me.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Now if only we could get you to readily admit that to Sherrie. Grand gestures always work in the movies.”

“My life is not a movie,” I grunt.

“Could be…”

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