Page 29 of My Merry Mistake
He smiles. “I think you might be right.”
I smile back. “So, you’re up for the two-week trial period?”
“I’m up for it,” he says. “Let’s do dinner? Tomorrow?”
“Perfect.”
“I’ll have my assistant email you the details.”
We stand, and Justin helps me with my coat, then motions for me to go in front of him as we walk toward the door. Outside, I stop and look at him, satisfied with this choice and anxious to see where it leads.
“It was great to meet you,” I say.
He takes my hand, then leans in and kisses my cheek. “Great to meet you too.”
I smile and walk away, aware that there wasn’t a single butterfly awakened in my rib cage by Justin’s nearness.
And that’s exactly how I want it.
Chapter Seven
Finn
“Ithought about what you said.”
After four days on the road, we’re on the plane on the way back home. I purposely sit across from Dallas because I’ve wanted to talk to him about this for days.
“I say a lot of things,” he smirks. “Hopefully it was something useful.”
I realize that he has no idea what I’m talking about because the conversation I’m referring to happened over a week ago.
“About this thing. With Raya,” I admit without looking at him.
“Ah,” he says. “That.”
“Yeah. That.” I don’t let on, but it’sallI’ve been thinking about. On the ice. Off the ice. When I’m by myself or with a bunch of other people. I’ve spent the last week trying to figure out what I want and how to get it.
Throw in my dad’s sage advice, and this whole thing has really gotten into my head.
“Okay.” He pushes the button on the side of his seat, moving it to an upright position. “What did I say now?”
“That she doesn’t think I’m serious,” I say.
“Well,” he sits, “you’re not.”
I shift, my seat suddenly uncomfortable. “But I really want to be. I mean, I want to be, for her.”
He sizes me up for a beat too long. “So you want to change who you are.”
“Well, no.” I make a face. “I mean, yeah. I mean—” I sigh, at a loss.
He looks at me. “Do you know what you’re getting into here?”
I go still. “Yeah, I do.”
There’s a lull, and in it, I start to wonder what he’s thinking. It’s like he said before—Raya is about to be his sister. I know Dallas, and I know how seriously he takes that.
I inhale. “I’ve had a thing for her for—” I almost say it, but stop myself.
