Page 3 of Pick One
How incredible,I thought,would it be to be the reason this man with the soft eyes smiled?
How amazing would it feel to bask in his sunshine?
“Wow-ow-ow,” I breathed, and the all-consuming feeling of rightness in my gut gave the words a little shudder. “Wow.”
“No.No! Teagan Donahue, you stop this shit right now,” Fern said impatiently in my ear. “Fate’s name is Jace Donahue, and you told me he once waterboarded your Barbie doll in the toilet.”
“He’s forgiven,” I said breathlessly, staring at the man in front of me with hearts in my eyes.
“Jesus Christ, you’re even doing that weird stutter-breathing thing. Can I call 9-1-1 for an emergency involving my friend being an utter dumbass who cannot learn lessons? Would I request an ambulance or the police?”
“Fire department,” I whispered, because I legitimately felt like I was burning up. I hadneverfelt this way before—not about any guy I’d ever met, let alone any guy I’d ever dated. This guy was holding my gaze, and I’d swear I couldfeelthe electrons zip-zip-zipping between us, like we were two halves of the same—
“Teagan,” Fern said severely. “If you never listen to a single thing I say ever again, listen to me now. Youcannotjump into something with the man who’s come to move your sofa out of the apartment you shared with thelastguy you jumped into a relationship with. This is not love! It might be infatuation. It’s probably lust. It’s almost definitely rebounding with a capitalR. It’s… Jesus fuck, I don’t even know what it is, but it’s unhealthy, and you’ve been wrong before! Remember the buds of love?”
I blinked as Fern’s words finally penetrated the haze around me and hit me like a blast of icy water. I stood up straighter. “What? No. This isn’t… that. I’m a desiccated husk now. I told you.”
But I couldn’t make my eyes move away from the gorgeous man, who was shifting his weight a little nervously from foot to foot, probably because I was being a total creeper.
God.
I forced myself to look away. “Things are fine,” I told Fern. “Everything is great. Don’t worry.”
“They’re so not fine.” Fern sounded resigned. “You’re gonna convince yourself you love this guy, because you won’t be able to help yourself, then one of you will end up with your heart broken, because even if the Self-Preservation Fairy appeared in front of you right now, you wouldn’t take his gift.” She sighed gustily. “Anyway. I love you, but my break is over, and the line is out the door. See you at work tomorrow?”
“Absolutely,” I agreed before hanging up. “Sorry about that,” I told the guy, motioning toward my phone. “My friend Fern.” I leaned toward him confidingly. “She’s a bit dramatic, but I love her.”
“She is, huh?” The guy’s mouth twitched like he was holding back a smile. “Look, I…”
“God, I’m so glad to see you!” I blurted. I blew out a relieved breath. “Sorry. It’s just that I’ve been waiting forever for you, and I worried you weren’t coming, and— Is the traffic bad out there?”
“You are?” He blinked. “I mean, you…? I mean… no. I didn’t find it too bad. It’s still early yet.” He frowned out at the street. “Wait, are you…”
“God, sorry. I’m Teagan,” I confirmed, pressing a hand to my chest. “And I promise I’m not usually this…” I threw my hands in the air. “Discombobulated. It’s been a trying week.”
“Yeah.” The guy nodded sympathetically. “It sure sounded like it.”
Right. I winced. He’d overheard all the best parts of my phone call.
“But it’s gonna be great,” I assured him quickly. “I’m going to focus on the positive, starting now.”
“Yeah?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “My mom says that’s the secret to life.”
“Your mom is wise.” I grinned. “For example… I have sweet friends who love me despite my penchant for charming philosophical conundrums.”
He tilted his head, the smile playing around his mouth again. “Philosophical—?”
“Pick one: guacamole without chips or chips without guac?”
“I don’t…” He tilted his head in the opposite direction. “What?”
“Never mind. Irrelevant.” I waved a hand dismissively and continued my list. “I also have a friend of a friend who just happened to get an amazing work opportunity in Finland, right at the moment my ex-boyfriend doubled down on being an utter jerk.”
The guy blinked at the change of subject. “Yeah? That’s cool.” After a second, he offered, “I know a guy from Finland.”
We had so much in common! I beamed at him. “Best of all, now I have you. My hero.”
The man’s expression blanked. “Me? Oh. I’m afraid I’m not… No.”
