Page 101 of Betting on the Best Friend
How does it feel?
Right. It feels right. And fizzy. No, not that. Those bubbles pop and go away. But letting the truth exist without a limit, without doubts . . .
It’s like every Christmas Eve of my life rolled into one, if they all had Fourth of July fireworks too.
A smile curves my lips. I want to let the words explode from my mouth.I love Charlie.But he should be the first to hear them.
Joey clears his throat. “I know that face. That’s what my face looked like when I figured out I love Ava.”
“How doyouknow what your face looked like?” Ava says. “Were you standing in front of a mirror?”
“Probably,” my dad says, and everyone laughs, including Joey.
“Your face looks like mine felt,” Joey amends. “And as a Ramos by birth and not marriage, you need to tell Charlie. Smart people sense that we are too powerful to risk let’s-see-how-it-goes. They need to know we’re all in or they’re going to stay all out.”
Ava and my mom exchange looks. My mom sighs. Ava admits, “Sadly, it’s true. Ramosesarepowerful like that.”
“As a current Ramos hostage,” my mom says, “I can tell you that Charlie will only feel safe with you now if he knows how you feel. All of it. Otherwise, he’s going to guard part of himself.”
“Did you say hostage?” my dad growls.
My mom hops off the sofa and runs for the stairs, calling, “Yes, I did.”
My dad races after her, grinning.
“Gross,” Joey says as we hear their footsteps pounding down the hall toward their room, but it’s resigned.
I pull out my phone. “Time to see a boy about a kiss.”
“Also gross,” Joey says.
Ava threads her fingers through his hair, then makes a fist and pulls his head back so he’s staring up at her. “Is it? Maybe you need more data.”
Joey climbs to his feet and holds his hand out to her. “I definitely do. See you, Ruby.”
And then he’s hauling a smiling Ava toward the door, leaving me in silence.
So about that kiss . . .
No
No what
No
Let’s talk about it
No
But yes
It’s fine
I snort. If that kiss rocked him half as much as it did me, he’s not “fine.” Pickdestroyedormindblown, but neither of us is “fine.”
I call him on FaceTime, but he doesn’t answer.
I’m done with this avoidance after every time we see each other. I’m not going to hurt Charlie. There’s nothing to protect him from.
