A Lot Like Perfect

“Go with him,” her friend said as if it was obvious.

And maybe it was. The possibility flooded her instantly, filling all of the empty places that had hollowed out when she accepted that she’d been unsuccessful at shutting down what was happening between her and Isaiah.

“I couldn’t do that,” she breathed but it was a token protest.

She could absolutely do that. Why couldn’t she? It was a lot better of a plan than being left behind and this time, she wasn’t a teenager. And she had every reason to be bold—Isaiah had even said he liked that about her.

“Sure you can. What’s holding you here?” Cassidy waved at the dusty road behind Aria that stretched toward town, but otherwise had nothing much to recommend it. “You still live with Serenity, just like I live with my parents because what else can you do here? This is your chance to find something more. Take it.”

“He might not even want that,” she mumbled.

How could she take such a huge risk? Five minutes ago, she’d been battling guilt and a host of other things that had prevented her from even thinking like this. She couldn’t realign the absolutes in her head that fast. She could barely process that there was the remotest possibility that Isaiah could be hers.

And now she was actually contemplating the possibility of seizing her dream and leaving Superstition Springs—something that had never seemed plausible but with Havana back and living with Serenity again, she could watch out for their aunt in Aria’s stead. It was perfect.

Cassidy raised a brow. “He might not. But what if he’s waiting for you to make a move? Can you really not take this opportunity to find out? And if it doesn’t work out, fine. He’s leaving. You don’t ever have to face him again.”

The wisdom settled inside her. That was true. The risk wasn’t as great as she’d pretended but the reward—that might be worth it. All she had to do was pick up everything she’d intended to apply to her quest for Tristan and aim it back in Isaiah’s direction. Right? What was the worst that could happen?

And if it went well, she’d finally be the star in her own story.

“I have to go.”

Cassidy laughed. “Send me a postcard.”

Aria gave her friend a quick hug. “You don’t deserve a postcard. It didn’t occur to you to mention that you’d lost your interest in Isaiah like, I don’t know, two weeks ago? Or at church when I told you that you’d missed your chance with him at the movies? I mean, come on, Cassidy. I’ve been wracked with guilt.”

“Because you’re a good person,” Cassidy told her gently. “That’s why I love you and why everything is going to work out. I can feel it.”

That made one of them. Aria’s pulse was doing this weird thing where it missed beats and then made up for it by doing the next three triple time. “Do me a favor and let Ruby know I’ll be late.”

Cassidy cackled. “I’ll do you one better and tell her you’re sick.”

And that was that. She had no excuses not to forge ahead and find out exactly where she stood with Isaiah West, the man she’d accidently started falling for while she was busy pretending she’d been interested in someone else.

As she wandered away from Cassidy’s, everything came to a head instantly when she spied Isaiah’s lean form walking toward her in the distance. Her throat went creek-bed-in-a-drought dry as the conversation with Cassidy swirled through her chest to mix with the one she’d had with Tristan. If he could be believed, Isaiah had been making googly eyes at her this whole time and she’d missed it. No. She’d noticed but refused to acknowledge it—that was the real kicker. What might have happened on the roof that night if she’d been given these revelations prior to?

She couldn’t breathe. Think. Swallow. But neither could she flee. Not this time.

Isaiah’s pace slowed when he saw her but by that time, she’d started moving again and they met up halfway between the barn and Cassidy’s.

“I thought you were on your way to work,” he said when she halted in front of him.

“I was. But there was something I had to do first.”

How was she supposed to navigate this, just blurt it all out? This wasn’t like one of their rooftop sessions when the expectations had been low and she had all kinds of excuses not to admit what she was feeling. This was totally different, fraught with the possibility of being rejected and she had no safety net.

But this was also her one chance to be bold, to choose her own destiny. He was already on his way out the door and for some reason, knowing that in advance helped.

If she did it right, she might be buckled in next to him as he moved on. The idea appealed to her enormously. Adventure, romance, connection—all of it was right here in her grasp. Without a stupid makeover.

Inspired, she smiled. “I was thinking. You haven’t seen the springs yet. You can’t leave before you get to experience them.”

Equal parts intrigue and caution warred through his face. “You’re right, I’ve neglected that part

of Superstition Springs. I might breeze by there tomorrow on my way out of town. Can you give me directions?”

Directions? Like he intended to go by himself? Not hardly.