“Now you see why I don’t want to name my truck Jenny,” he agrees with a wink.
“Definitely, although if you look her up, she might let you ride her as much as you’ll ride in your truck.”
He stares at me, stunned for a minute, before throwing his head back in laughter. “I can’t believe you said that, Callie Street.”
“I’m just being honest. You’re kind of a hot guy, Reed Lane. Any girl would love to have you on her arm.”
“Anyone but you, right?” he says, and I can see a flicker of regret on his face almost instantly.
My heart somersaults in my chest and this feeling that’s almost like panic hits me. Should I confess that I’ve been having thoughts that maybe the two of us should try dating? If I don’t tell him now, will I ever get the chance to do it again? Will letting him know that ruin our friendship?
“Reed, I was wanting to talk,” I begin, feeling my heart go crazy. My palms are instantly sweaty, but before I can tell him anything, he interrupts me.
“I know, Bluebird. You only want my friendship. I get it,” he says and my heart squeezes painfully mid-beat. He leans over and kisses my forehead. I close my eyes, biting down on my lip. Just as I get ready to interrupt him, he says something that stops me. “It’s probably for the best anyway.”
“It is?” I ask, clearing my throat to try and swallow down the emotion welling inside of me.
“Yeah, you’re special to me, Callie. I don’t think I could handle it if you weren’t in my life.”
“I feel the same,” I admit. “And trying to date could mess all that up,” I add, the words feeling as if they’re sticking in my throat, making me force them.
“Maybe, maybe not,” he says. “But it doesn’t matter.”
“It doesn’t?”
“Nope, you wanted to be friends and we are. You’re the best part of my day, Callie Street.”
His words make it hard to breathe. I have to tell him… I have to.
“You’re mine, too, Reed. Maybe we should try and—”
“Damn man! You got it on the road,” Jake yells, drowning me out.
“Sure as hell did. What do you think?” Reed asks, turning away from me to talk to his buddy. I watch them, wanting to scream at Jake to leave.
“It’s sweet! Hey! There’s a rodeo this weekend in Corpus Christi. I’m thinking of joining the amateur trials. You want to give me a ride? We can scope the place out beforehand and maybe meet up with a couple of buckle bunnies.”
“I better get back, Reed. I have to meet with the guidance counselor about my SAT’s,” I tell him, my stomach souring at the thought of Reed out picking up girls with his buddies. I guess I never thought about it because Reed and I spend most Saturdays together.
“Oh, hey, Callie. I didn’t see you there,” Jake says, looking highly uncomfortable. Probably because he knows I talk to Katie. She and Jake broke up last week, and Katie has been grieving. Apparently, the same can’t be said for Jake.
“Hey, Jake,” I murmur. “Talk to you later, Reed.”
“What were you saying before doofus interrupted us, Callie?” Reed asks and I shake my head negatively before I even start to answer.
“It wasn’t important,” I tell him, avoiding his eyes. It’s not really a lie. Nothing has changed. We’re friends and Reed is okay with that. I mean, it’s exactly what I asked for.
I was a stupid fool.
9 Reed
“Shit, I’m sorry man. I didn’t see Callie standing there,” Jake mutters, rubbing the back of his neck.
“It’s fine, man. It’s hopeless.”
“Fuck, really?”
“We were just going over the best friend shit again when you came up. She’s permanently friend-zoned me and there just doesn’t seem to be a way to get around that.”
Fuck, it hurts saying those words, but it’s past time I recognize it and admit it. Today is proof of that. I love Callie—even if that sounds crazy.
“Women, man. There’s no understanding them.”
“Says the man that has the woman he’s loved since the fourth-grade grieving over him because he was an asshole and broke up with her.”
“We want different things,” he mutters.
Jake is older than me, although he’s in the same class. He somehow managed to fail first grade. I never asked why, and he never volunteered. It makes me an asshole, but I was glad because that meant we were in the same classes growing up. He’s been in love with Katie Smith since the fourth grade when she called him a jerk. They’ve been together off and on since that day, too. It’s always been kind of a foregone conclusion in Macon that they’re going to get married. Then, Jake had to shock the whole damn town—but most notably Katie—by breaking up with her. Everyone has been wondering what happened, but I know. He loves Katie, but rodeo is in his blood.