Stupid Love (Stumbling into Love 1)

Danny said, “Tell me about Shaw. There must be something good about him if you like him.”

There were a lot of good things about him. “He’s a nice guy, Danny. He’s not what people think, what I thought, and that…scares me. I told him I like him, and I do, but I thought it was only this friends thing and being attracted to him, but now I’m nervous it could turn into more…and he wouldn’t want more.” Even if he did, I thought he was too scared to ever go for it.

“If that ends up the case, then you dodged a bullet. That means he doesn’t deserve you, but you never know. You could be wrong. You’re great, and he’d be crazy not to want to be with you for real.”

“You didn’t,” I teased, and he chuckled.

“There will never be anyone I love more than you, and you know it. You’re my best friend.”

“I know,” I whispered. “I feel the same about you.” The truth was, Danny had been the only person I’d really let in. Shaw and I were similar that way. And Danny was the first person other than my mom to one hundred percent accept me for who I was. It made sense that everything got muddled inside me.

“Can I tell you a secret?” he asked.

“Of course.”

“I wanted a real relationship with Garrett. I told myself I didn’t. I told you I didn’t, but I did.”

I gasped, pulled away and looked at him. “Did you tell him?”

He closed his eyes, and I knew that meant yes, he had, and Garrett rejected him.

“He doesn’t deserve you.” I pulled him close and hugged him. “Fuck him.” But all I could think was, if Garrett hadn’t wanted Danny, what chance did I have that Shaw would want me?

We got off the subject of Shaw and Garrett after that. I was pretty sure we both had a lot to think about.

A couple of hours later, I walked Danny to the door. We hugged goodbye like we always did, and I knew that no matter what, we would be okay.

Danny stopped, turned to look at me. “I want you happy, ya know? If you trust him and think he can make you happy, that’s all that matters.”

He smiled and walked away.

My gaze traveled to Shaw’s door. We’d said we might see each other tonight. I thought about going over but didn’t. My thoughts were all over the place, and I needed to sort through them. Or at least, not be around him because I seemed to word-vomit with Shaw and I’d end up spilling everything.

I went inside, took care of my nighttime routine, and climbed into bed. I had told him I would message him, though, so I grabbed my cell off the nightstand and texted, Hey.

His response was almost immediate. Hey.

I’m kinda tired tonight. That okay?

Yeah. How’d it go? Will the evil stepbrother allow me to hang out with the prince?

I smiled. So I’m a prince, huh?

Shit. No. I take it back.

My fingers moved across the screen as I typed out, It went well. How are you?

And then I lay there, texting with him half the night like a teenager, wondering if he could possibly be smiling as much as me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Shaw

Eli and I didn’t see a lot of each other over the next couple of days. I had quite a few properties to show, and I closed on some sales, which always kept me busier. We chatted every day, though, sometimes on the phone, others by text. It was very boyfriend-y and weird. It should have been more unappealing than it was, but I liked it more than I thought I would.

It was Friday, and we’d definitely be seeing each other. There had been an electrical problem where our dance lessons were, and this week’s session had been postponed until today. I had another busy day but managed to get home in time to shower, change, and meet him in the hallway right before it was time for us to go to our next lesson.

“Hey. Sorry. It’s been nuts,” I told him as I locked up.

“It’s cool. Are you sure you’re still able to go?”

“Absolutely. I’m not letting you get in an extra practice without me.” I shook my wet hair off my forehead. We had this awkward moment where we looked at each other and moved in like we thought we might hug, but then we both took a step back and laughed. “I think maybe we’ve gone back to middle school, where we want to touch people we’re attracted to but also wonder if they have cooties.”

“It’s high-key ridiculous,” Eli replied, leaning in and pressing a kiss to my lips. Again, very boyfriend-y, but I didn’t call him on it or wish it hadn’t happened. I just smiled like an idiot.