Page 74 of He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

‘Of course I forgive you. Your dad might take some more convincing, butwe’regood. I’m even willing to overlook the money you lost.’

‘Youknow?’

She laughs. ‘River can’t keep a secret for the life of him,’ she says. ‘I say, what’s done is done. You made a mistake. If you can get it back, invest it into something you believe in. That’s my advice.’ She lifts a shot, handing me one and clinking her glass against it.

Ugh. Tequila. I down it fast. Who created this and thoughtwe should put a worm in it then drink it? Mom downs shot number two like the pro she is and glances around the room, her face lighting up at the sight of my dad, who’s now standing across the room chatting with Dax.

‘I’m off. Best of luck, girl. I’m sure you two nailed it.’

I nod, unsure of what to say to her new we’re-gonna-be-friends attitude.

‘What was that?’ Mercy asks, approaching the bar as I sit in a cloud of disbelief.

I point to the leftover shot I thought I needed until I had the first one and she wastes no time in downing it.

‘She said she was proud of me.’

Mercy’s jaw drops as she sets the now empty shot glass onto the bar.

‘Then she apologized for being an attention whore of a mom. Said she’d like to be friends now.’

‘What?’ Mercy asks in a high-pitched voice. ‘Is she already drunk?’ She scans the room to witness it.

I lift my shoulders, as confused as she is. ‘She didn’t slur even one word, so I’m guessing, no? She meant it?’

‘Wow. Tonight really is special then, isn’t it?’

Across the room Dax laughs at something my dad says and they chat before he looks my way, flashing me that same heart-twirling smile.

‘I saw he brought you flowers,’ Mercy says.

‘You saw?’

She nods.

Besides Dax recently, I’ve never had a guy bring me flowers for fun. There’s always been an ulterior motive. Tristan refused; thought they were a waste of money. River brought me flowers once when he accidentally let my cat out and it never came home. My dad would bring me flowers when I’d lose a softball game to cheer me up. A prom date brought me flowers the dayafterprom because when I refused to sleep with him that night, he went out and got it from Ashley Christopher and told all his friends I was a prude.

I want to believe Dax brings them to me for fun, but I can’t help thinking he has to be saying something. I just haven’t completely cracked the code yet.

‘He’s nice, Mercy. Even said I was beautiful earlier. He’s starting to remind me who I could have been had I not fallen in love with the wrong guy.’

‘Love, blech,’ Mercy says. ‘It’s an awful emotion, isn’t it?’

‘Confusing too.’

The room quiets down as the episode starts and Mercy and I sit at a table near the back of the room.

‘This seat taken?’ Dax asks, pulling out the chair next to mine.

‘It is now,’ I say with a smile.

Tonight’s show is just a quick recap of Monday’s hour long show before Jillian announces who got voted winner and who’s going home. We watch in silence, listening as the rest of the room reacts to everything. Somehow, they even have a video of Dax and me sitting on the beach together after leaving the restaurant in Ocean Beach that day. Of course, the show played up the Dax and Celeste angle first. They would; it’s drama. People are drawn to drama. I glance at Dax, watching him watch the recap show, grinning as they flash images of the two of us. He even laughs with the room when I call him beautiful. God.

When it’s time for the big moment, he grabs my hand, holding it against his chest, cupping it with both hands.

‘Hey.’ River pokes my shoulder, leaning across Mercy. ‘What’s this?’

‘He’s nervous. It’s what he does. It’s nothing,’ I whisper back.

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