Page 77 of The Best Friend Problem
“Yup,” Mo agreed.
What? They could not be serious!
“Are you two kidding? You think Finn and I have been in love with each other for years but have been too scared to do anything about it?”
Mo held up her hands in surrender. “I didn’t say it. You did.”
She’d done no such thing.
Okay, she had, but only because they inferred it.
“Sweetie,” Lilly grasped her hand. “Isn’t it possible that the measuring stick you hold other men to is impossible to achieve because deep down you’re judging them against Finn and no man can measure up to him?”
“Finn’s not perfect. He has flaws.”
Lilly nodded. “Tons of them, I’m sure.”
He did. He was a cover hog. He always threw his damp towels on the floor instead of hanging them up. He liked coconut milk. What perfect person liked coconut milk?
“We’re not saying he’s perfect,” Mo grabbed her other hand. “We’re saying he’s perfect for you. You two fit together. You’re soulmates. Perfect matches. Happily-ever-afters. He’s your one, Pru and you’re his.”
“But his job,” she protested.
“It’s dangerous,” Lilly nodded in agreement. “But no one is promised tomorrow.”
“Yeah.” Mo patted her hand. “I read about some guy who choked on a hot dog and died just last week so unless you plan on consuming all your food in liquid form, you could die just as easily as Finn.”
Lilly gasped, “Moira!”
“What? All I’m saying is death can happen to anyone at any time and using a dude’s job as an excuse not to go for true love is only something only a dummy would do.” Pale brown eyes stared at her. “And Pru is no dummy, right?”
Of course she wasn’t a dummy. She was terrified. Terrified of admitting what she truly felt because opening herself up like that meant opening herself up to the possibility of loss and pain. She’d already had so much loss in her life. Could she risk more?
Risk aversion. Playing it safe. Practical. Practical Pru.
Oh no.
Drawing strength from the two intuitive women holding her together right now, she gasped. It was pointless to deny the truth any longer. Silent or screamed, it still existed, and pretending it didn’t wouldn’t change the fact.
“Oh my God! I love Finn!”
“There ya go,” Mo grinned. “Sometimes ya have to hit them over the head with it.”
“But…I…” Her head swiveled from one friend to the other. “What do I do? What if we do this and things don’t work out?”
Lilly smiled, pushing her glasses up her nose as they slipped down. “You have to decide if you’re willing to take a risk that things might work out and whether you can accept any fallout if they don’t. Life doesn’t give us a guarantee. Not in anything.”
“Isn’t a chance at happiness, a chance at true love, worth it?”
Mo had stars in her eyes, but for the first time in all their years of friendship, Pru wanted to believe in those stars, too. She wanted to take the risk, leave her charts and lists behind, and see if that tiny spark deep inside her heart would grow into something bigger if she recognized it and let it out.
“I—” Two strong pops of gas flopped in her belly. Only they weren’t gas. They were… Oh my God! They were kicks! “Oh!”
Pulling her hands away, she placed both on her belly and waited.
“Pru, what are you—”
“Shhhh!”
