Page 226 of Just for the Plot

No denial?

No reassurance?

Just let her see them?

Stomach churning, I pull my phone out and look them up quickly, then turn my phone to her. She takes it and scrolls through the pictures,nodding for a moment before she hands me back my phone and stands up.

“Bower,” I say, panic filling my chest. “If that’s what you want, just tell me, it’s not going to—”

She places her hand on my chest and pushes me back on the couch before straddling my lap. She grips my face and looks me dead in the eyes.

“I want you. That’s it. No one else.”

My hands fall to her hips as the smallest of weights is lifted off my chest.

“Those pictures, I can see how they might look. But it’s not as it seems. And I do believe you deserve an explanation, because if I saw you with another woman, I probably wouldn’t believe it, but I’d be extremely jealous.”

Her fingers play with the hem of my shirt, my skin prickling with the nearness of her, the comfort of her touch.

“I was at the coffee house, trying to get everything checked off my to-do list, and he showed up. We frequent the same place, so it was bound to happen. He asked to sit with me and I let him, because I felt like Iowed him that after the night of our date. I showed him the progress I made on The Whimsy Wagon and then I apologized to him for the way I ditched him. He understood and asked if there wasn’t another guy, would he have possibly had a chance. I told him maybe, but that I was falling for someone else.” She pauses, her eyes connected in all earnest with mine. “That’s you, Bennett. I’m falling for you, and as you know, I can’t stop that from happening.”

Relief floods through me.Thank fuck.

“He did say if it didn’t work out to give him a call.”

My expression falls to annoyance, which makes her smile.

“It’s always good to have a backup plan.”

“Bower,” I say, making her chuckle.

“But in all seriousness, I know those pictures look like something else happened, but I can promise you, it was a conversation where I let him down gently. He actually said that he wants to change his dating lifestyle too. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I’ve just been…”

“Avoiding me,” I say, wanting to get that out of the way.

“Maybe,” she says, with a shrug.

“Why?” I ask, my grip on her hips tightening, not wanting to let her go.

She sighs and looks off to the side, and I can see that there’s a distinct reason but she is questioning whether or not she should tell me.

“Open communication,” I say to her. “I came here, looking like a fucking jackass, asking why you were with another man. I think you should open up too. Don’t you think?”

She nods. “You’re right. You did come here looking like a jackass.” We both chuckle and she sighs, her head tilting to the side. “A handsome jackass, though.”

“At least I have that going for me,” I answer.

“You have a lot going for you,” she says, her fingers playing with the waistband of my jeans.

“So…” I encourage her.

“Right, umm.” Her eyes dip down to my stomach. “Gabby called me…”

Probably should have fucking guessed that.

Whenever she pulls away, it’s because she’s reminded of the promise she made Gabby.

“What did she say?” I ask.