Page 13 of It Couldn't Be You
“Nope! Gabe, it’s like thirty degrees out.” Katie tried to protect me.
I got up and walked out the door. His parents were already tucked into bed, so no one was out there when I stepped in front of their inground wavy-shaped pool.
“Emma! I know you two always get competitive, but it’s too cold to try and beat Gabe!” Katie said. “Beating him is absolutely not worth pneumonia.”
I slipped off my nice cashmere sweater—no way I was getting that wet. I had on a little lacy white camisole underneath. I slipped off my jeans, too, to save my favorite pair. I had on boy shorts underwear, which were more modest than my usual bikini bottoms anyway.
I glanced back at the group. Katie was laughing at me, appreciating the drama. Maggie was chuckling, shaking her head at the silliness of her new boyfriend’s family. My eyes found Gabe. His eyes were taking me in, making me warmer on this cold night. When he drew his eyes up to mine, they wavered between praise and challenge—same as always. I boldly winked at him. He laughed appreciatively.
Then I dove into the pool. It was so incredibly, awfully cold. I felt blue. I scrambled quickly out of the pool as everyone cheered. Katie helped me up while calling me crazy, and Gabe stripped off his sweatshirt and wrapped me up in it.
“Get her a towel,” he exclaimed. Someone ran inside.
He pulled my forehead against his as I shivered proudly. “Can I tell you something?” he whispered.
My heart was thumping. My soaking body was fully against him. His hands were gripped around my triceps, keeping me close. He pulled his lips against my ear. His warm breath sent shivers down my cold, dripping skin.
“I don’t think my parents have cleaned that pool in months.”
I gave him a little shove, and with my trembling jaw, I said, “What? You think I’m scared to get a little dirty?”
He laughed loudly, wrapping me up in a warm hug and rubbing my arms to keep me warm. “Man, I’ve missed you, Em.”
I was in his arms, teeth chattering, hair dripping, giddy at the closeness, and it felt like the distance and tension of the past couple of years had finally been washed away.
“You two,” Katie said, pulling us both toward the house. Maggie and Ricky had a towel for me. The warmth of the indoors felt like a hug.
After everyone had left, I was side-by-side with Katie in her queen size bed. I had decided to sleep over since my underwear was soaked and I’d finished off a couple glasses of wine.
“Hey, is it true?” she whispered. “What you said about not being ready to marry Jordan?”
It was dark, but I could still see the pink of her walls, a color chosen at nine years old.
I sighed. “That bugged you for some reason.”
“I just want to know. I love you both.” Her eyes peered up over the fluffy white quilt.
“To be honest, Katie. I feel like I have so many doubts and questions about our relationship. About what we both want out of our futures. I’d have to say no. I love him a lot, but that doesn’t mean we should get married…”
She sat up, looking at me with eyes full of concern.
“Katie, this shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It’s not like he actually proposed to me or anything. It was just a game. Who knows, if he actually asked me maybe I’d say something different. It’s late, and we were playing a dumb game. For heaven’s sake, I dove into the pool in my underwear. Let’s sleep on it.”
“You really think if he asked you, maybe you’d say something different?”
“Maybe,” I said, but I didn’t.
I think this conversation was making me feel less and less sure of Jordan. But she seemed so sad for some reason. I was too tired to ask her why. A few beats of silence passed, and I started to drift to sleep.
“You know,” she said. “Sometimes, I feel like you and Gabe have a secret language I can’t speak. A secret thing I can’t keep up with.”
“But you’re my best friend, Katie,” I said. “There’s no contest.”
“I don’t feel like it’s a contest. It’s not like a ‘I’m left out’ thing,” Katie explained. “I was just thinking tonight how you two… You have… You guys are the same sort of…”
“Same sort of frustrating?” I joked.
“Exactly.” She yawned, resting her head back on her pillow.
