You've Found Oliver (You've Reached Sam, #2)(40)

I almost forgot about that. “I’m still deciding.”

“You’re really taking your time.”

“I mean, what’s the rush?”

Ben stares at me, eyes shining. Then he runs a hand through my hair. “I didn’t say this earlier, but I was worried I might not see you again. I don’t know what I would have done if that happened. This whole thing is so weird, right?”

“If I’m being honest, I’m surprised you haven’t run off yet,” I admit. “Even I’m having trouble believing it.”

“I’m here till the bitter end.” He touches my nose playfully. “Even if you are making this all up.”

“That would be a funny way to get your attention.”

“It really would, considering you already had it.” He smiles again. “Why else would I have skipped lab and driven two hours to see you?”

“That would be silly.”

“There is something else though. Something that makes me believe all this.”

“What is it?”

“That first night we met at the diner, when we couldn’t find each other.” He pauses for a moment. “I was standing outside and then you appeared out of nowhere. I thought I was crazy for a second. I guess it all makes sense now.”

The past two weeks replay in my head. “At the very least, I hear trauma bonding really connects people.”

Ben brushes his finger across my cheek. “I think we’ve both gone through more traumatic things. This is just something we can’t explain right now.”

“Like a lot of things in the universe, right?”

“Exactly.” Then he glances at my bracelet. “Where did you get this from?”

I always forget I’m wearing it. “Oh. Sam gave it to me.”

He touches it. “I like it. Do you still have a lot of his stuff?”

“I wouldn’t say a lot. But a few things.”

He’s quiet for a moment, like he’s thinking about something. “Can I ask you another question about him? I’m not sure if it’s too personal.” He waits for a nod from me to continue. “Were you two ever more than friends?”

“What makes you ask that?”

“When you were still texting Sam, you said that you loved him.”

This catches me off guard. I keep forgetting about all those messages. “We were best friends. I told you that.”

“Did you want it to be more?”

I feel like he already knows the answer. “Maybe. It doesn’t really matter anymore.” I never thought I’d admit that to anyone. But it doesn’t feel like Ben is judging me. I feel like I can trust him. “We did kiss once though. Only once. It happened a long time ago. I’ve never told anyone. Not even Julie.”

“Do you think it would bother her?”

“I don’t think so. It happened before they met. She knows we’d been friends forever. And I’ve told her a lot of other things. I think I’m allowed to have one secret.” Maybe she even has one, too, I think.

Ben nods. “That’s fair.”

“What about you? Do you have any secrets?”

He takes a moment. “Ask me again later.”

“Okay. I will.”

The song changes from the living room. Ben takes my hand, intertwining our fingers. “Let me know if you’re tired,” he says.

“I’m wide awake.”

He smiles. “I’m glad you came over.”

“Me too. Hopefully, I won’t disappear on you again.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not taking my eyes off you this time.”

“If you keep staring at me like that, I might just get stuck here.”

“Would that be so bad?”

I think about it. “Not necessarily. I mean, it’s only six months, right? I wouldn’t mind redoing a few things. Maybe bring my grades up.”

“That’s the first I’ve heard you talk about grades.”

“Hey.” I push him playfully. “We can’t all be perfect.”

“Is that a nice way of calling me a nerd?”

We smile at each other. In the living room, the song “Both Sides Now” is playing. Ben turns his ear toward it and says, “My favorite song of hers.”

“Mine too.”

I’m not sure if that was true before. But it will be now. I stare into his deep brown eyes. I’m not going to miss my chance this time. I hope he’s thinking the same thing I am.

“Ben,” I whisper.

“Yeah?”

“I think I’ve decided what the winner gets.”

He waits for me to continue. But I don’t say anything else. I just lean forward until I feel his lips against mine. A rush of warmth passes between us. Like sunlight on skin.

We fall asleep in each other’s arms.





Chapter

Fifteen



“Did you forget about me?”

Petals fall from the sky as I slowly open my eyes. But I don’t have to look to know whose voice that is. I would recognize his voice anywhere. I turn my head anyway. Sam is lying in the grass beside me, waiting for a response. We stare at each other for a moment. When I don’t answer, he repeats the question.