I shake my head, convinced I didn’t hear Nate correctly.

“Boyfriend?” Aaron repeats, confirming I don’t need to get my hearing checked. “Since when?”

“Since the other day, not that it’s any of your business. Now, I’d appreciate it if you left my girlfriend alone.”

Aaron looks to me. “Is this true? Are you really seeing this guy?” His jaw tenses.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I know Aaron won’t give up unless he thinks there’s nothing left to fight for, so I say, “Yeah. It’s true. Now please leave, and stop calling my family.”

Aaron glares at Nate and then walks away. Nate sits down, not saying a word, and I wait for an explanation.

“Will you be having any dessert, or should I leave you the check?” the waitress asks. Then her eyes go to our empty coffee mugs. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I forgot your refills, didn’t I?”

“It’s fine,” Nate says. “We’ll take the check.”

She slides it onto the table and clears our plates, apologizing again.

I reach for my purse, but Nate puts a hand up to stop me.

“Just in case Aaron is lurking outside the windows, you better let me pay so this looks like a real date.” He counts out the money for the bill and the tip, placing both on the table. Then he stands and holds his arm out for me to take. We’ve walked arm in arm plenty of times, but I’m so confused about our relationship right now that it feels awkward.

He brings me to his truck and opens the door for me. Inside the truck, I watch Nate walk around and get in on his side. As much as I want to ask him why he told Aaron we’re dating, I’m afraid to. As stupid as it is, I want to pretend it’s real. Even if only for tonight. That he meant what he said. That he wants a relationship with me, and not just as my best friend.

He pulls up to the door of my apartment complex and finally turns to face me. “See you at work.”

“Yeah,” I say, opening the door. I don’t even care that the rain has picked up and is soaking my hair. I don’t run inside to take cover. I walk slowly without looking back at Nate. I hear his tires on the wet pavement like a soundtrack to the movie playing in my head. The one where the girl lets the perfect guy drive away into the night because she can’t bear to tell him how she feels. It’s an awful movie.

I trudge up the stairs, not because the wait for the elevator is long, but because Nate and I took the stairs. I can almost smell his shower gel when I enter my apartment, though I’m sure it’s all in my head. It’s early, but I get out of my wet clothes and put on pajamas. I want to crawl into bed. I just wish Nate was in the bed with me.

My cell rings on the nightstand as soon as my head hits the pillow, and I jump up, thinking it’s Nate and he wants to talk about what happened. Instead, Ashley’s name appears on the screen.

“What’s wrong with me?” I ask her without saying hello.

“Oh, honey, how much time do you have?”

“Ha-ha.”

“What’s wrong? Why are you in a mood?”

I lie back on the pillow and stare at the ceiling. “I went to dinner with Nate tonight.”

“That’s a regular occurrence. Not seeing the problem.”

“He was supposed to pick me up at six thirty, so I purposely took a long time in the shower, hoping the sight of me in a towel would... I don’t even know.”

“Make him horny as hell?”

“That’s awful, right? I mean, he went on a date last night and here I am trying to tempt him back into my bed.”

“My little sister the whore.”

“Good night, Ash.” I pull the phone away from my ear and hear her yell, “Sorry.” I roll my eyes and bring the phone to my ear again. “I’m serious. I don’t know what to do about this.”

“Did he tell you about his date?” she asks.

“No. He won’t tell me anything about this girl. But I swear, tonight when Aaron came to our table at the diner—”

“Aaron was there? What, is he stalking you now?”

“He called Mom.”

“Holy shit! That’s scary psycho, Aria.”

“I know. What sane person would think calling his ex’s mother would convince her to take him back? It’s sick.” I pull my sheet up to my chin the way I did when I was a little girl and wanted to protect myself from the monster under my bed. Only Aaron isn’t fictitious. “Nate told Aaron we were dating now.”

“You mean to get Aaron to back off?”

I shrug, even though she can’t see me. “I guess. What other reason could there be?”

“Wouldn’t it be ironic if Nate was secretly wishing he was your boyfriend while you’re there secretly wanting him to be?”

I wouldn’t call that ironic. I’d call it...torturous. Though it would mean my feelings aren’t one-sided.

“What did he say to you after Aaron left?”

“Not much. We didn’t talk at all on the drive back to my place.”

“Did you two sleep together again?” Her voice lowers, making me wonder if Neil walked into the room.

“You think we didn’t talk, but we still jumped into bed together?”

“No, you’re right. That’s something I’d do, not you.”

“What would you do?” Neil’s mumbled voice filters through the phone.

“Nothing, babe. Girl talk.” She laughs. “He’s gone now.”

“You changed a lot right before you met him. Have you ever told him about your wilder days?”

“Wilder days!” She laughs again. “I like that. And no. He doesn’t need to know. Besides, that’s not who I am anymore.”

No matter how old Ashley was, she always knew who she was. And over the years, she redefined herself. She grew up, matured, and fell in love.

“I’m happy for you, Ash. Really happy.”

“Good because you’re stuck with me. Mom pretty much told me wherever you go, I have to go with you. Now that she’s not around to check up on you, it’s my job.”

I laugh. “In that case, I think I’ll move to Alaska.” Ashley hates cold weather.

“You do, and I’m officially disowning you as my sister.”

“Well, lucky for us, I have no plans to go anywhere.”

“You don’t think you’ll ever move? Not even when you get married?”

“I’m not even twenty-six yet. Marriage is the last thing on my mind right now.”

“Speaking of, where do you want to have your birthday party?”

I groan into the phone. “No party. I’ve gotten drunk too much lately, and whenever I party with you, you make sure I have a drink in each hand.”

“Only way to party. I’m planning it. I’ll call Nate to make sure I get the guest list correct.”

“You’re going to plan my party with Nate?” I don’t know why the idea bothers me. Maybe it’s because the three of us have always planned my birthdays together.

“We’re the two closest people to you. It only makes sense. And given what’s going on between you and Nate, I can’t see the two of you planning this together.”

She has a point, but parties mean dates. “What if Nate brings his mystery girl?” Nothing would ruin my birthday more.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t.”

“How?”

“We’ll set a firm guest list. No dates. I’ve got this, Aria. No worries.”

Sure. My life is falling to pieces and I don’t even know what I am to my best friend anymore, but no worries.

“I’ve got to go. Neil is giving me that look.”

“Too much info, Ashley.” I rub my eyes, begging my mind not to picture Neil and Ashley going at it.

“That he’s hungry, you perv. He eats ice cream every night at this time.”

God, I have to control these hormones. I’m acting like a teenager. “Have a good night,” I say and hang up.

I drop the phone onto the pillow and let out a long sigh. I know what I need to do. I have to confront Nate about why he told Aaron we’re dating and who his mystery girl is. I need to get everything out in the open so I can either get over these feelings and reclaim my best friend or do the unthinkable and confess that I really do want Nate to be my boyfriend.

I’m not going to get any sleep tonight.