Page 218 of Just for the Plot

I nearly drop the plate in my hand as my stomach falls out of my bodyand hits the floor. Are you freaking kidding me right now? My absolute worst fear is coming to life. How does she know?

“Wh-what?” I ask.

“Yeah, I just got off the phone with him because I was texting him and he texted me back, but he must have been texting with her as well, because he sent me the text that was meant for her.”

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God!

“What did he say?” I ask, shaking.

“Let me pull it up so I get the wording right. Oh, here it is. He said, ‘I got you, beautiful. We’re in this together.’”

Okay, okay, that’s not bad, that doesn’t really give away much. For all she knows, it could be some girl he met at a bar. This doesn’t really have any implications on me, right?

“Huh, interesting,” I say as I stack the plates away into their respective boxes.

“You didn’t know about this girl?” she asks. “You two hang out. Have you not seen her around the apartment? You told me you would tell me everything.”

Guilt immediately consumes me.

“Umm, hmm, I don’t think I’ve seen Bennett with any women.”

Not a lie, that’s true. The only woman he’s been around is me. And I don’t look at him with a mirror…well, besides that one time when he was getting me off in front of a mirror, but that’s neither here nor there.

“Really? Are you sure? Maybe he’s being extra stealthy, but why?”

“Maybe it’s new and he doesn’t want people to know yet,” I say, wishing we could change this subject immediately.

“Perhaps, but I don’t think it’s new.”

“What makes you think that?” I ask.

“Well, when I was asking him about it and trying to probe, I asked if he loved her. And he fell silent. I feel like the natural response to that isoutrage or denial because it’s all happening too soon. But that’s not what it was. He was just silent, like he wanted to confirm but didn’t. It seemed like he loves her but he’s not ready to admit it out loud.”

Stunned, I slowly take a seat at the table, my heart pounding a mile a minute as I try to process what she’s saying.

No, he doesn’t…does he?

That feels outrageous. He can’t possibly love me.

Then again, it’s not like he’s showed me any other kind of treatment other than love.

He’s treated me like I’m the most precious and important person in his life.

He’s fought for me, cherished me, encouraged me.

He’s taken every small opportunity when around me to make me feel comforted and protected. He’s made me laugh and he’s made me feel joy. He’s helped and he’s challenged.

And he’s waited. He’s waited so long for his moment to be with me. He’s waited years to call me his, to be able to express himself…

And not because he’s my friend.

He wouldn’t have done all of that if he was just my friend.

No, it has to be because…

Oh God, he loves me.

He does and that should…that should scare me, because it’s so quick, it’s so soon, it’s so not what I should be accepting right now, but he does, he loves me.