The moment Jeff turned and walked away I wanted to go after him. Oh God, I just wanted to shout out “motherfucker!” as loud as I could. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so I just stood there, because you know, standing in the middle of their backyard with tears running down my face wasn’t going to draw any attention.

Fuck me!

Holy hells bells. The way he was holding me so close during that song. I knew the moment he asked me to dance what he was trying to do. It was his way of saying he was sorry.

I’m so sorry I hurt you, baby. Baby, I could never hate you . . .

I have waited eight fucking years for this. Eight years for him to call me something other than “Squirt,” to hold me like he never wanted to let me go. Son of a fucking bitch!

Oh. My. God. I just messed up everything. I looked over at Ellie, who was now getting off Gunner’s lap and walking over to me.

“Ari, what did he say to you? I’ll kill him for making you cry again, that bastard!” Ellie shouted as she looked back toward the door Jeff just walked through.

I started to laugh. Why, I have no idea. I found none of this shit funny. Ellie looked at me confused as hell.

“Ari, what the hell is going on?”

“Oh, nothing, Ells. You know, Jeff just did the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me, and I blew it. I fucking blew something I’ve been wanting for so long.” I started to cry again. Goddamn it . . . The second time I’ve been to one of their parties and I was crying! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

“Come on, let’s go sit on the front porch,” Ellie said as she turned to Gunner and pointed to the front of the house. Gunner looked concerned, but just nodded his head like he understood.

“He’s in the house. I can’t let him see me crying, Ells,” I said as I panicked at the idea of seeing Jeff right that second.

“We’ll walk through the gate, okay?” Ellie linked her arm with mine and we walked to the front porch.

After I told her what Jeff said to me, and how I told him the truth about Jason, she just sat back in the swing.

“Ari, clearly Jeff has feelings for you, sweets. You have to see that right? Why didn’t you go after him?”

“I don’t know why I didn’t, Ellie. I mean, it’s like he wants to be with me, but he doesn’t. I don’t know how else to explain it. I feel like he is attracted to me, but he doesn’t act on it. Maybe he just can’t see me as anything more than his little sister’s best friend, Squirt. He even called me Squirt before he turned and walked away. It killed me when he said that it worked. That me trying to hurt him worked.”

“Well, of course it worked. You had to know when you told him that he would be upset. Give him time, Ari. Maybe he just needs time to get used to the idea of you being something other than my best friend. What you need to do is show him that’s not all you are. You’re more than Arianna, Ellie’s best friend. You’re more than just Squirt. You need to make him want you, Ari . . . want you bad! You need to show him how much he wants to be with you!”

Ellie said all this with a wicked smile on her face. We both started to laugh. Only Ellie could make me feel better when I felt like shit.

“Okay, I have other news! So while you were dancing, Gunner asked if we both wanted to go to his grandparent’s ranch next week for a few days. I SO want to go, but I need you to go with me. Please say you will go!”

Ellie was so fucking cute when she begged! “Of course I’ll go with you. Is, um, Jeff going?”

Ellie smiled that big ol’ smile of hers. “You bet he’s going! Five full days of us in the country with two really good-looking guys and the Llano River runs right through it. I’m thinking Jeff might need to see you in your red bikini!”

“Well, when you put it that way . . . count me the fuck in!”

We both started laughing so hard we couldn’t stop. So Ellie thought I should go after Jeff, huh? I think I was up for that challenge! Just then the front door opened. Speak of the devil. It was Jeff.

He opened the door all the way and stepped outside. “Is everything okay? Why are y’all sitting out here?”

“Well, we were just talking about how much we were looking forward to heading out to the country with you and Gunner,” I said as I got up and walked toward Jeff.

Now it was his turn to be stunned. I walked up to him and leaned in so he had to bend down toward me to hear what I was about to say.

“I can’t decide if I want to bring my red bikini or my white one? I might just have to bring both. What do you think, Jeff?”

He looked like he was having a really hard time swallowing, and if I didn’t know any better, I would say that Mr. Big Football Player was blushing. Oh, yes, I thought to myself how much I liked Ellie’s plan as I let a smile play across my face.

Game on, Jeff.