Page 40 of Best Year Ever
Even though our nights together have been spectacular, it's who he is as a person that’s dissolving my reserve about our obvious connection and chemistry, not his sexual prowess.
Though that isn’t too shabby either.
I’ve spent so long assuming guys are a distraction. But maybe that’s simplistic.
On the plane ride home, with plenty of time to think for the first time in weeks, I start to feel a tug of curiosity. Is Landon sleeping with other women? Did he go out on dates when I was in Europe? Is he not interested in anything more or just respecting my wishes?
I couldn’t have predicted the swell of jealousy that flows through me when I think of Landon with other women.
Whoa.That’s new.
I’ve never feltthatway towards a guy before. Hmmm.
Nothing has changed right? I mean, we’ve become friends, which is great. We’ve slept together twice, sure, but it’s been over three months since the last time. Why do I feel this way?
I grab Maggie to chat, needing some girl advice. Having lost their doubles match the day before me, we invited her and Peter to share the plane home with us after Dad organized it.
“Hey, I need some friend time. I’m going to tell you something, but you can’t tell anyone,” I say after she sits down next to me.
“Okayyyy. What the heck, spill,” she responds.
I look around to check that no one else is close enough to hear if I whisper.
“So I hooked up with someone new. Actually twice, over a few months. We met at that New Year’s party I went to.”
“Ahem, you have been holding out on me!” Maggie says, in what is definitely not a whisper. “Who is it?”
I pause, considering whether I’m ready to share. I decide that I better, to get the best advice. “It’s Landon Battle,” I say quietly.
Maggie looks like she is going to jump out of her seat with thenews. “What the actual eff, Rori,” she says, even louder than her previous comment.
“Shhhhhh,” I tell her, eyes wide. “This is not for consumption of everyone on this plane.”
“Okay, sorry, sorry. Go on,” she says, making a grand gesture with her arms.
“So anyway, I told him that I didn’t want anything more, even something casual,” I explain. “And I’m nervous to think about it with the momentum I’ve got on the court right now. He seemed to accept that and has been texting me things during this trip, but nothing that felt inappropriate for just being friends.”
“I’ve got a feeling I know where this is headed,” Maggie says, taking a sip of her drink.
“So I started thinking just now, what if he is going out with other women, sleeping with them, etc. And I felt jealous. Jealous, Mags! Me! You know me, I never care what a guy does.”
Maggie makes a fake crying face and puts her hand on her heart. “My little Rori is growing up. I feel so proud.”
“Oh stop it,” I say, laughing. “Seriously, what should I do? Do you think it’s about wanting something I can’t have?”
“Not really. You never felt that way about Peter when he had a girlfriend, right?”
I shake my head. “Nope. I didn’t feel anything at all.”
“Well, there you go,” Maggie replies. “Although that doesn’t surprise me. Those poor boys didn’t stand a chance when we were growing up.”
“Oh please,” I say, laughing. “I was just very single-minded, wanting to win tennis matches.”
“Single-minded andhot, breaking all the boys’ hearts at the academy when you wouldn’t give them the time of day,” Maggie jokes. “Okay, back to Landon. So you’ve been talking to him regularly? On text?”
“Yes, we text a lot. I’ve been surprised, he’s so easy to talk to, and we have a ton in common. He really gets the intensity of our world, you know? And he sends me funnystuff too.”
“Rori,” Maggie says, looking like she is about to stage an intervention. “So, you’re friends with Landon Battle. Like real friends.”
