Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 50801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
“We're just glad you can finally make it to these biweekly brunches now,” Reese says to Hadley.
“Finally graduating after working your ass off twenty-four-seven to get your degree will free up time,” Hadley says after taking a bite of her pancakes. “It still hasn't set in that I'm finally done and ready to go on the job market. I've been working so hard for so long that I'm kind of afraid I won't know how to do a job instead of school.”
“But aren't you taking a break before you officially apply anywhere?” I ask, remembering she said that the last time we met up. Hadley is brilliant in every sense of the word and has a passion for neuroscience and sports medicine that rivals anyone I've ever known.
“Yes,” Hadley answers, leaning back in her seat a little bit. “I’m lucky enough to have a wealthy big brother who’s assured me I need to take a couple months off before I start applying to jobs and start my career for the rest of my forever.” She takes a deep breath. “Man, when you lay out forever like that, it's super intimidating.”
We all laugh at her exaggerated stressed face, and I nod adamantly. “Just because you start a career doesn't mean it has to be your forever,” I try to assure her, knowing full well how terrifying forever can be to a person. “You're young and smart and more than talented,” I continue. “The world is literally your oyster. You don't have to lock in anything if you don't want to.”
“That’s sort of refreshing,” Hadley says, returning to her plate and cutting herself off another bite and popping it into her mouth. “Speaking of,” she says, eyeing me before glancing at Reese and Blakely. “How is your living situation going? I've been out of the loop for a few weeks, so fill me in.”
Warmth cascades from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, a sort of solid contentment and excitement swirling in my chest every time I think about my living situation, because it directly ties to my intimate situation, which directly ties to my best friend, which leads to nothing but happy gooey melty feelings.
“That situation is going incredibly well,” I admit, knowing there's no reason to try to hide the swoony feelings I have, especially not from them. “I haven't even considered looking for a new apartment, even though Paxton and I don't have any official labels on anything.”
Blakely and Reese flash me a skeptical look.
“Still shying away from the label thing?” Hadley asks, looking sadly out of the loop. “I feel like I know the reasoning behind that, but I have so much sports neuroscience crammed into my brain right now it might have been shoved out. Enlighten me? You and Paxton seem perfect for each other. If any man looked at me the way Paxton looks at you?” She sighs. “I'd be locking him down. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.”
We all laugh at that, and I can't deny the sense of rightness that crops up in my soul when I think about what she says.
“I've always had a problem with commitment,” I explain briefly. “Growing up with a divorce lawyer mother will do that to a girl. And while my parents have one of those fairy-tale marriages, after seeing what it does to people after my mother helped them get their divorces, it made me question the worth of marriage when stacked against the risk of losing yourself completely.”
“Oh, damn,” Hadley says, nodding. “That would do it. But Paxton...” Her eyes go whimsical. “Again, the way he looks at you, the way you two are together...”
I blow out of breath, glancing at Reese and Blakely who are giving me supportive looks. “I know,” I say, the two words feeling like a confession that opens up the floodgates. “He's my best friend. And I'm totally in love with him.”
Reese and Blakely clap and squeal as if I just told them I won the lottery. Hadley laughs, and I glance around the restaurant, rolling my eyes at the scene we've caused.
“Sorry,” Blakely says to me. “But we've been waiting for you to admit that for like ever.”
“Seriously, Monroe,” Reese adds. “We didn't know if you would say those words.”
“I didn't want to,” I explain. “I didn't want to risk losing him. I've loved him as a best friend far longer than I've been in love with him, and when you pit those two against each other it shows you all the scary ways that you can mess it up. But where we're at now?” I smile softly. “It's a dream. He's a dream. He always has been.”
“You know you don't have to pit those two things against each other,” Hadley says, ever the analytical mind. “You could just allow them to meld together into something bigger and stronger than you ever thought it could be.”