When I Need You (Need You #4)(64)

"I see she's recruited another member of my family to Team Lucy," he said testily.

"Wrong. I am on Team Jax-steps-up-and-proves-he's-changed. Wishing things were different doesn't make them so. Mimi loves her mom. Being an ass to the person your daughter loves the most . . . think about that. It's not a smart move."

Jax blinked at me and I swear I saw a lightbulb go off. After a moment he said, "When did you get all smart and philosophical, little cuz?"

I lightly punched him in the shoulder. "You oughta try using your brain to think rather than just to stop hockey pucks."

"Piss off, baller."

"Speaking of piss . . . the boys' bathroom is gross."

He sighed. "I'm on it."

Once I finished checking on all the classes and staff, I returned to the office.

Astrid glanced up. "I assumed you'd already left for training."

"I'm going." I shouldered my duffel bag. "You'll make sure-"

"Yes. I have a checklist. I'll text it to you when I'm done."

"Great. Thanks."

"Will you be in tomorrow?"

I stopped halfway to the door. "No. Why? Did you need me to be here?"

"Not that I know of. But can we plan on a quick staff meeting early Wednesday morning before the campers get here?"

"Sure."

"Cool. I'll bring donuts."

Vegan donuts. There was something to look forward to . . . said no one ever.





Fifteen



ROWAN



Asking Talia to stay with Calder an extra hour gave me a moment of mother's guilt, but I needed to talk to my BFF about what was going on with Jensen. Or more accurately-what I wanted to go on with him.

Daisy sailed through the door of the coffee shop. Upon seeing that I'd ordered her favorite cold brew, she said, "I could seriously kiss you right now, Ro."

"Some days I wonder if all of this would be easier if I swung that way."

"So this is an emergency. You never say things like that."

"It's not like I've been secretly having girl-on-girl fantasies. I imagine it'd be easier dating a woman since I know how a woman's mind works."

Daisy considered me. "What am I thinking about right now?"

"Are you seriously giving me a lesbian aptitude test?"

"Stop stalling. Prove you're an Indigo Girls super fan and wow me with your intuition."

"All right." I tapped my fingers on the table as I contemplated. "You're deliberating if it'd be worth it to return to the office to finish the two projects you left undone when you had to rush to my rescue and talk me off the ledge."

Her husky laugh turned heads. "You couldn't be more wrong. See that hot guy in a suit sitting by the windows? We've been eye-fucking since Monday. Tuesday he dropped off a note on a napkin asking if I was single. It was cute and flirty and quirky enough that I've been here after work every day this week. We'll see if he takes the lead or if I have to make the first move. Because either way? Win-win." She snagged the last packet of Splenda. "So the fact you and I both have vaginas doesn't provide you with an innate understanding of how my brain-or my vagina-works."



       
         
       
        

"Point made." I debated asking her about Markus, a guy she'd clicked with on one of those dating sites. Last I'd heard they were setting up a face-to-face meeting.

Daisy said, "So what happened to send you teetering on the ledge?"

"Jensen kissed me. Kissed me like I haven't been kissed in . . . well . . . ever."

"When? Where? And why is this the first I'm hearing of it?"

"It happened Monday at camp."

"Jensen kissed you like you've never been kissed . . . four days ago, and instead of grabbing onto him by those massive biceps to see what else he could do with that sexy mouth, you . . . ?"

"Backed off so I could process it."

Daisy smacked her own forehead.

"What?" I said testily.

"And did you come to a different conclusion after you've had time to ‘process' it than you did right after he kissed you?"

I stared at her. Hard. As if I could make her rethink her (absolutely accurate) assumption about me.

"That's what I thought."

"So I should've . . . what? Just jumped him right there on the street?"

"You tell me. Because that's what this is about, right? You need to talk it out and let go of some of your issues-hang-ups, preconceived notions-whatever you want to call it that's keeping you from acting on your impulses."

Now that I was sitting across from her, I didn't remember why I insisted on meeting face-to-face. I'd rather crawl in a hole than admit the truth. Even when Daisy was my closest friend, this wasn't something we'd ever seriously discussed.