“Hello,” Paisley groggily said into the phone. She rubbed her closed eyes. What time was it anyway?

Who knew? She had no work that day. After turning her phone off the afternoon before, she’d stopped by on her way home to pick up enough potato chips and ice cream to weather even the harshest disappointment, and collapsed on the couch, which was where she had eventually fallen asleep.

“Hi, is this Paisley?” asked a strange voice.

She looked at the unknown number. “Yeah.”

“This is Flynn James.”

Paisley sat upright on the couch, the blanket and half-empty bag of chips falling off of her. “Oh. H--hi.”

Flynn James? She hadn’t seen him since Noah and Lauren’s party. How had he gotten her number?

“Noah gave me your number,” he said, answering her unspoken question. “I hope that’s all right.”

“Yeah, that’s… fine.” Paisley pressed her palm to her forehead. Judging from the angle of the light coming through the windows, it was at least ten.

“How are you doing?” Flynn asked.

“I’m fine. How are you?”

“Great. Listen. I’ve been busy all week with rehearsals for a new play, but they unexpectedly gave us tonight off. And I know this is short notice, but would you like to have dinner with me this evening?”

Paisley’s mouth went dry. Flynn James… was asking her… out on a date? And just yesterday she’d felt sorry for herself for not being up to par when it came to dating cute, famous men.

“Paisley?” Flynn asked. “I really hope your silence is a yes.”

She worked her tongue around. What would she say? What should she say?

Yes seemed like the appropriate response. And not only because Flynn was handsome and she loved his work. They’d had a good time laughing and joking together at Lauren’s party. So Paisley needed to say yes.

Except…

She didn’t want to say yes either to Flynn James or any man other than Alex.

She shook that thought from her head. Alex didn’t want her. She needed to forget all about him.

“Yes,” Paisley said. “I would love to have dinner with you tonight.”

Her stomach twisted a bit and she couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad sign.

“Excellent,” Flynn said. “Does six work? One of my favorite restaurants is near Chelsea Piers and I’d love to take you there. It’s called Johnny’s and it’s New American. I can come pick you up, if you like. Or we can meet there.”

Paisley smiled at how accommodating he was. “Meeting there is fine, thanks. Just text me the spot.”

“Will do. See you then.”

“Bye.” Paisley hung up and stared at the phone.

Flynn James had asked her out on a date and she had said yes, but all that left her feeling so empty and unexcited.

She got off the couch, brushed her teeth and made coffee. The whole time, her brain worked to process what had just happened. How had her uneventful life turned into this?

As she poured cream into her favorite mug, her phone pinged. She picked it up from the coffee table. At the sight of an e-mail from Alex, her heart turned over.

ALEX: Hey, Hope you’re feeling better. Want to come to my place for a movie tonight? Or, if you are still under the weather, I can bring the movie to your apartment, along with a chicken soup delivery.

Paisley bit her bottom lip, surprised to find it was shaking. Alex had never invited her to his apartment. Was this his way of… what? Showing her he missed her? Suggesting he wanted romance?

“She’s so plain. He’s so gorgeous,” the anchor’s words rang in her head. Paisley groaned. Enough with the guessing. Alex wasn’t interested in her in that way. She needed to get real and move on. And yet, she couldn’t put the phone down. She needed to respond to him.

PAISLEY: Sounds like fun. I’m busy tonight, though.

Paisley paused. Should she tell him what she was doing? It wasn’t like he would be jealous of her going out on a date. And they were both fans of Flynn’s work. Alex had seemed genuinely excited when she’d texted him the week before to tell him she’d met Flynn. So adding the next part only seemed appropriate.

PAISLEY: I’m going to some restaurant named Johnny’s with Flynn James.

Paisley stared at the last sentence. Should she add more? Maybe a promise to see Alex another time that week?

Realizing she was overthinking the whole thing, she hit send without adding another word. She still couldn’t put the phone down, though.

Standing at the counter, cell in one hand, she sipped her coffee.

She could only lie to herself so much. A part of her hoped that Alex would see the e-mail and become jealous. Maybe even call her right away and ask her not to go on a date with Flynn. Ask her not to go on a date with anyone. Because he wanted her.

Paisley closed her eyes. If he did, she would cancel everything right away and run to see him. Stupid thoughts! Alex would never do something like that.

The phone rang in her hand and she jumped and nearly spilled coffee all over the floor.

It wasn’t Alex calling, though. It was Lauren via video chat.

“Hello?” Paisley answered.

Lauren’s face popped up. She sat in the Manhattan living room Paisley had met Flynn in. “Hey, I’m adding Nic.”

There was a blipping noise and Nicole joined in as well. She held Silvi in one arm and it looked like they were sitting on the front porch of their Florida home.

“Hey,” Nicole said. “Can you hear me?”

“Yeah.” Paisley propped the phone up against the flour jar.

“Paisley, is everything all right?” Nicole’s brow furrowed. “I saw those pictures.”

“Ugh.” Paisley closed her eyes. “You didn’t read any articles, did you?”

“No. I wouldn’t touch those magazines.”

“Paisley, really. Are you okay?” Lauren asked.

Paisley opened her eyes. “Do I not look it?”

“Your apartment doesn’t. What happened?”

Paisley inspected her small box on the screen and realized that her friends could see the potato chip bag, empty ice cream carton, blankets, and pillows, in the living room area.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly.

“Does this have to do with Alex?” Nicole frowned and bounced Silvi.

“Forget Alex.” Paisley shook her head. “That whole thing was silly. I’m moving on. I actually have a date tonight.”

“You do?” Nicole squealed.

“With whom?” Lauren asked. “Since when?”

“Flynn James,” Paisley said. “He called me like thirty minutes ago.”

A silence followed her announcement. Nicole looked confused and Lauren looked a bit annoyed.

“I thought you never wanted to date a famous man,” Nicole said. “Isn’t that why you haven’t gone out with Alex?”

“It’s more than that,” Lauren said, before Paisley could say a thing.

Paisley huffed. “Alex isn’t into me, guys.”

“Have you asked him?” Lauren questioned.

Paisley tried to not make a face, but it was hard. “What? Why would I ask him that? When was the last time you went up to a man and asked him if he liked you?”

“Hey, relax,” Lauren said.

Paisley sighed and closed her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m a little tense.”

“It’s okay for you to go on a date. Although I am still confused. I thought you liked Alex and now—”

“She’s afraid Alex doesn’t like her back,” Lauren explained. “And she’s trying to move on.”

Paisley opened her eyes but said nothing. No use denying the truth. Or beating on Lauren for speaking it.

“That’s silly,” Nicole said. “He definitely likes you back.”

An unexpected thrill went through Paisley. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, you two seem to spend a lot of time together. And he has to work really hard to make that time. He runs a company and has that foundation. Plus, there’s prince stuff.”

“He doesn’t have any role in that last part,” Paisley replied. At the same time, however, she felt Nicole’s argument breaking her down and she couldn’t let it do that. She’d already resigned herself to the belief that nothing romantic would ever happen between her and Alex. Letting in too much hope meant the chances of being let down increased by a massive degree. Call her crazy, but she wasn’t too keen on going through unnecessary pain.

“I’m with Lauren,” Nicole said. “I think you should tell him how you feel. What do you have to lose?”

“A friendship,” Paisley said. “One that I actually value a whole lot.”

They remained silent for a few long moments.

“Did you even hear the part where I’m going out with Flynn tonight?” Paisley finally asked.

“We heard,” Lauren answered. “I’m just wondering exactly why you’re doing that.”

Paisley knew she was suggesting it was to make Alex jealous and she hated that. Mostly because that really was a hope of hers.

“I need to get out,” Paisley said. “Meet more people. Anything wrong with that?”

“No,” he friends said.

The conversation moved on, touching on Silvi’s latest checkup at the doctor and the fundraiser for Alzheimer’s that Lauren and Noah were organizing. Paisley did her best to focus, but half of her attention stayed on Flynn and Alex.

Her friends were wrong. If she told Alex how she felt, she’d only look like a fool. At this point, she wasn’t even a hundred percent sure their friendship would last, considering how hard being around him was already becoming.

The truth couldn’t always set you free. Especially when you had your heart to protect.