like-like you? That. Especially if they were cute. Too young and hormonal to tell the difference between friendship and a crush. That was my stupid heart right now.
Patrick went in his room and didn’t come right back out, so he was probably on the computer, doing whatever it was nerds did.
You need to make plans, Jess. Be home less. Meet new people. Get over him!
At work the next day, I asked Lydia for advice.
“How do I stop feeling like this?”
“Time.”
“No, seriously.”
“Okay, it might help if you focus on his flaws. Look for anything that annoys you, bugs you, turns you off. Make him unattractive in your head.”
“Tall order. The only thing that really bugs me is he’s so reserved. Otherwise, he’s pretty much perfect.” I groaned. “And the reserved thing just makes me want to reach the gooey center.”
“You need to twist that. Instead of it being intriguing and mysterious or whatever, think of how you’d never know what he was feeling. No PDA. No romantic gestures. The sex would probably be boring, even.”
“Hmm, I see what you’re getting at. I just wish I knew for sure that it wouldn’t work.”
“None of us gets that guarantee.”
“I know.”
“Jess, you’re a smart cookie. I think you’d know deep down if this man had no interest in you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’ve been trying to figure out exactly that for almost two weeks and I’m no closer to an answer. What he says and does can easily fit in the friend zone. Or…not. But because he’s so hard to read, I feel like I’m making it all up in my head and grasping at straws because I’m lonely or whatever. Driving me crazy.”
“So ask him,” Lydia said, like it’d be so easy.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? You want to know for sure.”
“Because I live with the guy! If he’s never thought of me that way, it’s going to make things super awkward. I’ll be humiliated.”
“So don’t ask him. Go out and find someone new to crush on.”
“I did go on a date. Didn’t work out.”
“ One . And you haven’t been out since.”
“How would you know?” Though she was right, of course.
“I have eyes. You haven’t come in to work with the ‘I have a new boyfriend’ glow, so it’s been dead obvious. Have you tried wearing something sexy around the house?”
“ Lydia .”
She rolled her eyes. “Not talkin’ about lingerie, though that’d definitely get a response one way or another. Let me guess—you go home from work and put on your baggy comfy clothes like you did when you lived alone.”
“Geeze, I’m not a slob.”
“Jess, you know what I mean. How is he supposed to see you as a sexual being if you don’t make a little effort? You have a cute figure. Use it. Or, you know, find another guy.”
“Easy for you to say…”
“Now get back to work. Lunch is over.”
“Yes, boss.”
Lydia had given me a lot to think about, and I could go two ways—up the flirtation factor with Patrick and see if he responds, or put my full energy at dating new guys. Could combine the two…see if he’d get jealous? What would it take to break that calm, composed façade? The only time I’d seen him emotional was the fight with Ros .
Changing up my wardrobe was the easiest action. Immediate. Show a little more cleavage, a little more leg. Skirts instead of pants.
Instead of going straight home, I stopped at the coffee bar again.
“Hey, Jess! Didn’t see you last week.”
“I was moving. But it’s all done now.”
“You’re usual?” Matt asked.
“Please.” It was allegedly a coffee drink, but light on the coffee, heavy on the chocolate. I needed chocolate. “How was your day?”
“Busy enough for good tips, but not crazy, so pretty much perfect. Made even better by you walking in.”
“Flatterer.”
“I don’t get many friends in here. You look like your day was not so
Patrick went in his room and didn’t come right back out, so he was probably on the computer, doing whatever it was nerds did.
You need to make plans, Jess. Be home less. Meet new people. Get over him!
At work the next day, I asked Lydia for advice.
“How do I stop feeling like this?”
“Time.”
“No, seriously.”
“Okay, it might help if you focus on his flaws. Look for anything that annoys you, bugs you, turns you off. Make him unattractive in your head.”
“Tall order. The only thing that really bugs me is he’s so reserved. Otherwise, he’s pretty much perfect.” I groaned. “And the reserved thing just makes me want to reach the gooey center.”
“You need to twist that. Instead of it being intriguing and mysterious or whatever, think of how you’d never know what he was feeling. No PDA. No romantic gestures. The sex would probably be boring, even.”
“Hmm, I see what you’re getting at. I just wish I knew for sure that it wouldn’t work.”
“None of us gets that guarantee.”
“I know.”
“Jess, you’re a smart cookie. I think you’d know deep down if this man had no interest in you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’ve been trying to figure out exactly that for almost two weeks and I’m no closer to an answer. What he says and does can easily fit in the friend zone. Or…not. But because he’s so hard to read, I feel like I’m making it all up in my head and grasping at straws because I’m lonely or whatever. Driving me crazy.”
“So ask him,” Lydia said, like it’d be so easy.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? You want to know for sure.”
“Because I live with the guy! If he’s never thought of me that way, it’s going to make things super awkward. I’ll be humiliated.”
“So don’t ask him. Go out and find someone new to crush on.”
“I did go on a date. Didn’t work out.”
“ One . And you haven’t been out since.”
“How would you know?” Though she was right, of course.
“I have eyes. You haven’t come in to work with the ‘I have a new boyfriend’ glow, so it’s been dead obvious. Have you tried wearing something sexy around the house?”
“ Lydia .”
She rolled her eyes. “Not talkin’ about lingerie, though that’d definitely get a response one way or another. Let me guess—you go home from work and put on your baggy comfy clothes like you did when you lived alone.”
“Geeze, I’m not a slob.”
“Jess, you know what I mean. How is he supposed to see you as a sexual being if you don’t make a little effort? You have a cute figure. Use it. Or, you know, find another guy.”
“Easy for you to say…”
“Now get back to work. Lunch is over.”
“Yes, boss.”
Lydia had given me a lot to think about, and I could go two ways—up the flirtation factor with Patrick and see if he responds, or put my full energy at dating new guys. Could combine the two…see if he’d get jealous? What would it take to break that calm, composed façade? The only time I’d seen him emotional was the fight with Ros .
Changing up my wardrobe was the easiest action. Immediate. Show a little more cleavage, a little more leg. Skirts instead of pants.
Instead of going straight home, I stopped at the coffee bar again.
“Hey, Jess! Didn’t see you last week.”
“I was moving. But it’s all done now.”
“You’re usual?” Matt asked.
“Please.” It was allegedly a coffee drink, but light on the coffee, heavy on the chocolate. I needed chocolate. “How was your day?”
“Busy enough for good tips, but not crazy, so pretty much perfect. Made even better by you walking in.”
“Flatterer.”
“I don’t get many friends in here. You look like your day was not so
Similar Books
