Page 52 of Pick Me
“What? No. I wouldn’t hurt your feelings like that.” I hesitated. “Not on purpose.”
“Mmm. No. Because you’re not cruel, you’re just stubborn and criminally oblivious. So why are you hurtinghisfeelings by rejecting him?”
I frowned. “It’s not like that. He’s going to find someone else—”
“But he’s already picked you, darling. And before you tell me ‘it’s not like that’ again, let me call your attention to the fact that Jason is talking very excitedly about something over there, yet your infant is glaring at the precise spot where my hand is on your chest. Addthatinto your calculations.”
I turned my head to seek out Gage and found that Myles was totally correct. Gagewasstaring, while pretending to listen to what Jason said. I was very familiar with Goodman’s “I’m nodding, but I don’t actually hear you” expression.
When he caught me looking, Gage looked away guiltily. Sadly. And my heart skipped a beat.
I am in control.
All is well with me.
Oh, who was I kidding? I was nowhere near in control.
I was a mess.
“Holy shit. The lust between you two is so strong I’m getting a contact high. Don’t be a coward, Knox.” Myles shoved the spot on my chest he’d been patting. “Go give that boy the ride of his life, or someone else will.”
I hesitated… and Curtis sidled up to Gage and dropped an arm over his shoulder.
Fuck.
I strode across the living room in two seconds, ignoring Myles’s laughter behind me.
The familiar faces around me all seemed so jaded. So bored.
Gage deserved better than anyone he could find at this party. He deserved someone who’d appreciate him… and maybe… maybe I could be that someone for as long as he stayed at the orchard.
My heart pounded as I let myself imagine holding him, kissing him,havinghim.
I gritted my teeth and struggled to figure out what the hell was wrong with me.
For weeks, I’d told myself he wasn’t for me. That I could walk away, force myself to stop wanting him, and we’d both move on. But it hadn’t worked like that.
And I was forced to acknowledge, right there in the middle of Myles’s trendy living room, thatGagewasn’t the one who was unsure about who he was or what he wanted. He never had been. I was the one who’d been holding back, thinking it would help me stop missing him when our time at the orchard was up…
But instead, I was missing him already, when we could have been spending that time together.
In my head, I heard Dr. Travers saying, “Befriend the things that scare you, Knox, and you’ll stop fearing them.”I had no fucking clue what that was supposed to mean. But nothing scared me like Goodman did… and fucking sounded close to friendship, right?
“Goodman.” I nudged Gage’s arm with mine, interrupting Curt. “I need you.”
“Sure. Jason and I are done talking business. Are you okay?” He looked at me in concern.
“Yep. Fine. But it turns out you were right about… things. And I wanted to… talk to you. About those… things.”
Great. This was going… great.
“I was right about… what?” Gage frowned.
Jesus Christ, did he want me to say it in front of a crowd?
“Aboutsandwiches, Goodman. I’ve decided to embrace the happy triangles.”
“E-embrace them?” His eyes widened as understanding dawned. “Wait,embracethem?”
