Page 172 of The Path to Loving Him
“Jesus.” I laugh. “Okay, we’re not referring to you as that anymore.”
“You started it.”
“I know, and I’m ending it.” I kiss her knuckles. “Okay, I’ll get back to you on the dirty texting. From the way I react to you, I’m going to guess that won’t be happening either. So that leaves after school and baseball, and when Mac is in bed. Can I count on you to come to my house?”
“Nowthatyou can count on,” she says. “I’d also prefer to have a date here and there but want to be respectful of your time with Mac, so don’t feel like you need to take me out every week. It’s important to me that you put her first, which I know you will, but I need you to know that I’m not going to be that jealous girl who begs for your time. When you can give me your time, I’ll take it.”
“Thank you,” I say, growing serious. “I appreciate the thought you’ve put into this, making it easy on me.”
“I like you, Ryland, a lot,” she admits, sending a burst of pride and warmth through my chest. “I know why you didn’t want to have a relationship in the first place, so I want to tread carefully, make sure you’re comfortable. All I ask is that you’re open with me, honest, constantly talking to me about how you feel. I can’t have you hiding your feelings on me because that’s when things implode.”
I nod. “I’m not great at that. I’ve been taught to repress feelings rather than talk about them. The only reason I can semi talk about them is because Cassidy used to pull it out of me, and now, apparently, Aubree and Hattie. But I can work on it for you . . . and well, for Mac.”
“Thank you. Now, one last thing I need to talk to you about.”
“Yeah? Just one?” I tease.
“Yes, one. You’re not going to like it, though.”
“Lay it on me. Maybe I’ll surprise you.”
“It’s about Christian.”
“Oh, nope, not going to like it.”
She lightly laughs. “I told you.”
“What do you have to possibly talk about where he’s concerned?”
“You need to be nice to him.”
“I am nice to him.”
Gabby scoffs. “Oh my God, you are so not nice to him, and he’s noticed.”
“He’s noticed? You mean to tell me that he’s talked to you about this? Like he’s looking for sympathy?”
“He was not looking for sympathy. It just came up, and he mentioned that you aren’t very nice to him.”
“Because he’s a douche.”
“Ryland, he’s not a douche. He’s really nice actually.”
“I’m sure he is,” I say, gripping my steering wheel tighter.
“I can see that you’re growing angry?—”
“Not angry, irritated,” I say. “See, sharing my feelings with you. I don’t see how mentioning him has anything to do with us.”
“It does have something to do with us because he asked me out?—”
“He what?”
She sighs and rubs her hand over my thigh. “Deep breaths, Ryland. I’m telling you this because it’s important, so please just listen.”
Realizing that I’m acting like a possessive dick, I give her a moment to explain even though whatever she might say about Christian is only going to make me hate him more. “Sorry. Go ahead.”
“Thank you,” she says while leaning in and placing a kiss on my cheek. I’ll admit, the kiss settles me . . . a little. “What I was trying to say is that he noticed there seemed to be something between us.”
