“Oh, naturally. Is he any good at that Taekwondo stuff?”
“He’s a second-degree black belt. Testing soon for his third, actually.”
“Well, now. That does sound a little closer to competing with a gun than a white belt.” Sam laughed. “I have to say, I approve. You’ve done well this week.”
“Oh, thanks. Because that’s absolutely what I was going for there,” Hannah teased. “Your approval.”
“I knew it.”
They settled into eating quietly for a few minutes. When Sam set her soda down and sighed, Hannah glanced up.
“I really hope this works out between you two. Especially with the whole ‘friend of your ex’ stuff.”
“It’s not—”
“I know you think it’s no big deal, but I’m telling you, if it isn’t yet, it will be. And I’m not trying to be a total downer here, but just be careful with your heart.” Sam touched her hand. “You were with James a long time. Statistically, Eric should just be the rebound.”
That thought had occurred to her too. But it wasn’t as easy as that. If anything, she’d realized it was the opposite. In the last few days, she’d begun to develop real feelings about a guy who should’ve—as Sam put it—been the rebound.
“If that’s how it ends up, then so be it. I’m just going to have fun.” She told herself this as much as Sam. She leaned forward and whispered, “It’ll be fun to sleep with someone besides James.”
“Sometimes I’m curious what that’s like,” Sam admitted. “All I’ve even known is Jonas.”
Hannah knew the story of Sam and her husband. They’d met their first year of college, gotten married by their second year, and had three kids and twenty years under their belts now.
Once upon a time, Hannah had figured she’d end up the same way as her friend had. Married to James, with them only having been with each other, and loads of kids.
But life had other plans.
Shehad other plans.
“I need to thank him for the ride this morning. And for packing my lunch.” She lifted her sandwich. “He made this for me.”
“He’s a keeper. If he wasn’t a rebound, I mean. Who knows... maybe he’s the one?”
And wouldn’t that just complicate things?
As Sam went to dump her garbage, Hannah pulled her phone from her purse to shoot Eric a quick text thanking him for the lunch he’d made her.
Eric being the one? Maybe in a fairy tale, where everything was nice and tidy.
Although it made more sense that her friend was right. Eric being the rebound was probably a heck of a lot more realistic.
*
“Is that hertexting you?”
“What?”
“You’ve got the most dopey-ass smile on your face right now. Is that her?”
Shit.
Eric wiped the smile off his face that he hadn’t realized was there and finished typing his message. After he hit send, he set down his phone. “Yeah. It’s her.”
“Damn, bro.” Blake sighed and shook his head. “You’re already in deep.”
Keep it cool. Don’t show him how deep.