Page 26 of Next Time We'll Fall

RAFE: It’s not the head that was blue …

JUNIPER: …

RAFE: Sorry, that was inappropriate.

JUNIPER: You’re not funny.

RAFE: I concur … I can only blame my poor choice of words on my lack of sleep.

JUNIPER: I thought you were going to say on your balls.

RAFE: Have I awoken the dragon?

JUNIPER: Just be here in ten minutes!

My face is hot and flushed, and I know all thoughts of me having control on this situation are out of the equation. I’m losing it—absolutely losing it—and I don’t know how I’m ever going to get over this.

What was going on in Rafe’s head? Was he flirting with me? Testing my limits? Just having fun at my expense? I’m not sure which of those things are true, but I do know it’s going to kill me, waiting to find out.

I feel like I’m in a movie, but not a fun rom-com starring Jennifer Lopez or Kate Hudson. I’m in the sort of rom-com that Mindy Kaling would be a part of. All sorts of drama and misaligned stars are trying to make my life a misery. As my English ancestors would say.

I still can’t believe I was stupid enough to enter a wet T-shirt competition. I still can’t believe I nearly went through with it. I still can’t believe Rafe picked me up over his shoulder and carried me out of the bar to his car, then drove me home while I was wearing his shirt.

And now, the next morning, he was teasing me. Teasing me like we actually had something. Teasing me like I wasn’t just his little sister’s best friend, who he would never get involved with.

I take a deep breath and massage my temples.

I will not let this man stress me out, nor will I let his comments go to my head. He probably thought he was joking. He was probably trying to get a rise out of me, like he always does, but I’m not going to let him get the upper hand. I’m not going to let him go on about being hard and having blue balls and think I’m just going to laugh along with his immature little jokes.

“Hey, everything okay?” Rosie steps out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, her wet hair dripping down her back. Her wide brown eyes stare at me with concern. “You look like you just saw a ghost, Juniper.”

“No ghosts,” I say. “Thankfully.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

I take a deep breath and stare at her. “Rafe texted me.”

“Oh, okay. How’s he? He got home okay, right?”

“He’s fine. And he’s going to come by and pick us up so he can take us to get my car.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot you left your car there last night.” She giggles. “That’s really nice of him.”

“I suppose so,” I say, biting down on my lower lip.

“Oh shit,” she says, pausing. “Sage!” she calls out, and my eyes widen.

“What are you doing?” I stare at her in confusion.

“Sage, come here. Juniper just heard from Rafe.”

I stare at her, and she giggles slightly.

“You forget we’ve known you almost all your life. We know you’ve had a crush on Rafe forever.”

“I no longer have a crush on him.” I glare at her.

“Maybe so, but last night …” She shrugs as Sage comes hurrying along.