Justin and Hardy are laughing about something over at the bar, and Jade leans in closer.
“Do you want to tell him?” she asks, since I never answered her first question.
I pick at the label on my beer as I stare at her.
“No.” I clear my throat and sigh. “In a perfect world, yes. But the world isn’t perfect. It’s convoluted and chaotic, and it almost never works out the way we want it to. People like stories with happy endings because we don’t often get them in real life.Telling him means risking our entire friendship on a delusional fantasy. I’m not willing to do that.”
She stares at me for a long moment, then takes a sip of her drink.
“I get it.”
“You do?” That surprises me because back before Kennedy and Devon’s wedding, when we all talked about our fears, she and Justin made it clear that taking a chance on love was worth it. Granted, it was an entirely different scenario, but still.
“Sure. You’re right. I create happy endings for all my characters that they might not get in real life. Real life comes with a lot more risks. I understand not wanting to gamble on them, especially with your friendship.”
I nod solemnly because that advice feels like the final nail in the coffin that I should never tell him. If even the romance author thinks there’s no hope of it working, I’m pretty much screwed. Not that I wasn’t already.
It’s too bad my plants love the apartment so much because at this point, we’re probably going to have to move.
Jade slides around the booth, so she’s closer to me. “So, what do you want then?”
“To move on. Find someone who it’s appropriate to have these feelings for.”
Her lips twitch, and she drums her fingers on the table. “Have you considered online dating?”
I instantly grimace at that. I loathe the idea.
“Look, it gets a bad rap, but you can meet decent people. You don’t have to include anything about your career or anything to start. Just be you. You’re kind, thoughtful, and not the type to send unwarranted dick pics.”
I laugh at that, and she smiles.
“Online dating…”
She pulls out her phone and shows me a couple of newer dating apps that are all about making connections—which she says she knows about from doing research for her books.
“I have a feeling there are plenty of men and women out there who would easily fall for you.”
I haven’t known Jade for that long, but she’s got a good heart. Which shouldn’t be surprising because Justin obviously does too. They’re a perfect match.
I want to find mine.
My eyes betray me and drift toward Hardy, but I quickly pull them away.
I have to get over this infatuation.
Looking back at Jade, I unlock my phone and slide it toward her. “Will you help me?”
Her smile is bright as she takes my phone. “I’d love to.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
HARDY
“So,what’s the deal with you and Brian?” Justin says, looking at his beer bottle, not me, like it’s the most casual question in existence.
Sure, we were laughing and joking a minute ago, but talk about a non sequitur. Though with this friend group, I’m not sure there is such a thing. No topic is off-limits or out of nowhere.
“What do you mean?” I ask, just as casually.
