Page 42 of I Could Never

Pfft. Easy for you to say.Visiting this place mademefeel overwhelmed.

Josh must have noticed my expression as I stared out toward the street.

He placed his hand on my arm. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “Thanks for bringing us here,” I told Lauren.

“No problem. If you need any help with the waiting-list paperwork, let me know.”

“I have the application.” I nodded. “Thank you.”

Josh and I had begun walking to my car when Lauren’s voice came from behind.

“Hey, Josh? Could I talk to you for a second before you leave?”

I froze.What’s this about?

He turned and walked back toward her. “Sure. What’s up?”

I continued toward my vehicle. After all, she hadn’t called forme. And I suspected I knew why, given the way she’d been flirting with Josh today.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I stood by the car, waiting for him.

When their quick conversation ended, Josh jogged back toward me. “Want me to drive?” he asked.

I handed him the keys. “Sure.”

Entering through the passenger side, I refrained from asking him anything about his conversation. And he didn’t offer anything as we pulled away in silence.

About five minutes into our ride home, the curiosity was killing me.

I caved. “So, what did Lauren want to talk to you about?”

He looked over with a smirk. “Were you intentionally trying not to ask?”

“Were youintentionallytrying to bug me by not saying anything?”

“Maybe.” He chuckled and waited several seconds. “She asked me if I wanted to go out some night this week.”

I knew it.“Wow.” My temperature rose. “Pretty ballsy.”

“She’s definitely confident.”

I blew a breath up into my hair. “What did you say?” My heart sped up in anticipation.

“I told her this week wasn’t great for me, but maybe another time.”

“So you lied. What’s wrong with this week?”

“Actually, this week isn’t good for me. I just got back from Chicago, and I’m not in the mood to psych myself up for a date.”

“So youwouldconsider dating her...” I said bitterly.

He shrugged. “She’s cute, yeah. There’s no off-the-charts chemistry or anything, but I wouldn’t rule it out.”

“Isn’t that a conflict of interest, though? Because she works with Scottie?”

“I suppose it could be. Not sure who would be policing that.” He glanced over again. “Unless it were you.”