Guy Hater (Fisher Brothers 2)
“Have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re stupid-hot, confident, and opinionated. That’s intimidating to men.”
My first instinct was to argue with her, but I stopped myself. It wasn’t that I agreed on the stupid-hot part, but I had been known to intimidate men in the past. I’d always hated that, and immediately lost interest in any guy who wasn’t strong enough to deal with me.
“I don’t think Frank’s scared of anything,” I said softly.
“But you don’t know, right? Maybe when it comes to him, you’re going to have to be the aggressor. If you want this to go further, you might have to initiate things. Maybe something bad happened to him in the past, and he’s skittish when it comes to relationships.”
I pondered her words, bristling internally at her suggestion that I be the aggressor. It wasn’t the first time she had mentioned me having to be the one who took the lead when it came to Frank.
“What’s with the face?” Britney asked.
“I really don’t like the idea of being the stronger one. I don’t want to be the guy in the relationship. And to be honest, I get it that Frank’s quieter than Nick and Ryan, but he’s not insecure. He’s not one of those guys who needs the girl to take the lead. I think the problem is something else; I just don’t have any idea what.”
“Well, you know him better than I do. But I wouldn’t rule out attacking him with your mouth the next time you see him.” She puckered her lips and kissed the air.
Was she right?
Was I completely wrong in the way I read him?
I longed to latch on to anything that made sense when it came to our night and how it ended, but I failed. I tried to convince myself that Frank being shy was the answer, but I knew in my heart that it wasn’t the truth. There was no way Frank had chickened out at the last second because he was scared like Britney had suggested. It didn’t add up, didn’t feel right at all.
“Maybe he’s just the kind of guy who likes to take things really slow,” I said, and Britney gave me a halfhearted shrug.
“Maybe.”
Defeated, I sighed. “I just have no idea what else it could be. Actually taking the time to get to know someone before getting physical with them does seem like something he’d do. He has integrity.”
“I can see that now you that you mention it,” Britney said, and my thoughts settled. “Maybe you should play hard-to-get. Make him crazed with want.”
“I don’t want to play games. I just want to be gotten. Oh God, I’m so into him already. I’m just like all the other girls who fall for a Fisher brother!” I groaned.
“You are not. Frank actually likes you back. He’s just . . . cautious,” Britney said with a shrug. “Yeah, he’s cautious.”
“Cautious.” I repeated her word, liking the way it felt.
She nodded. “Do you think you’ll see him again?”
“I want to,” I admitted without shame.
“You might have to ask him.” She laughed. “And then attack him with your mouth.”
“I am not doing that. I’m just not.” I shook my head, refusing to be the one who asked to see him again, or took the lead in whatever this was that we had started. I wasn’t sure why I was so adamant about letting him take control, but I refused to budge on it.
Britney stood up from the couch, reaching over her head as she stretched. “All right, then. We’ll play it by ear.”
“We will?”
“Yes, we will. I’m invested. But first, I’m going to bed. Unless you want to talk more?”
“Nothing to say, really.”
“See you in the morning then. Try not to overthink it. We’ll figure this Fisher dilemma out.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, feeling significantly better than I had before, even though nothing had actually been resolved. Sometimes just having your best friend’s ear was all you needed to feel less crazy and alone.
• • •
I woke up the next morning to find a message waiting for me from Frank. When I saw his name on my phone’s screen, my heart skipped a beat. I pressed the button to read the text, and his words filled me with warmth.