Chapter 3
LINC
Every week it’s the same thing, and every week, I turn Eve down. She just doesn’t get the hint. I’m. Not. Interested. Sure, Eve is nice … ish, but there’s something about her that irritates me … like her not taking no for an answer
The hairs on my neck prickle, and when I look up, I see the most beautiful woman in the world.
She’s wearing dark-washed jeans and a pale purple tank.
Her honey-blond locks are up in a high pony, but it’s her eyes that capture me.
They’re the most vivid shade of blue. I’ve never seen anything like them before.
Eve starts talking again, and I reluctantly turn my attention back to her. I’m thinking about how to let her down, again, when a hand slides around my waist. When I look down, I see the angel from moments ago beside me.
“Hey, baby,” she utters, and it takes me a few seconds to realize what’s happening.
“Hey,” I gruffly reply, sliding my arm around her waist and placing a kiss on her temple. “You made it.”
“I did. Sorry I’m late, I’m still not used to this LA traffic.” She turns to Eve. “Hi, I’m Taylor.” She offers Eve her hand, but Eve just looks at it. Shock and anger mar her face as she flicks her gaze from Taylor to me.
“I didn’t realize you were dating someone,” Eve snaps.
“It’s new,” Taylor and I both say at the same time. She giggles and, normally, a woman giggling like that irks me, but this time it’s cute and leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy.
“Jinx,” she says, digging me in the ribs.
Offering her a shrug, I gaze into her eyes. It feels like I can see into her soul. Apart from a handful of words, I know nothing about this woman but at the same time, I feel like I’ve known her forever.
“And where did you two meet?” Eve hisses. There’s a sour look on her face, and panic starts to build within because this is all fake and, right now, my mind is empty.
“It was your cliché meet-cute in the grocery store,” Taylor begins. “We were both reaching for the last bag of—”
“Coffee beans,” I interrupt.
“I insisted he have it, but…” She hesitates because she doesn’t know my name, but fate steps in in the form of my grandma, and she calls my name out. I wave, and Taylor continues with our faux meeting. “…Linc insisted I could have it, so I invited him over for coffee and, well, here we are.”
“Really? Sounds like something from a romance novel,” Eve spits at us. I can tell she doesn’t believe Taylor and I are a couple but, to be honest, I don’t care what she thinks.
“What’s something from a romance novel?” Grandma asks as she joins us.
“Taylor and your grandson apparently met over the last bag of coffee beans.”
“So she is real,” Grandma teases, playing along with our ruse. “When you told me you’d met someone, I thought you were just trying to avoid the date I was trying to set up for you.”
“I’d never lie when it comes to dating,” I state. As soon as the words pass through my lips, I hate it because I am, in fact, lying.
Without another word, Eve turns and storms off, leaving Grandma, Taylor, and me alone. That is until Grandma speaks, “So, you two are dating, huh?”
Taylor’s eyes widen at Grandma’s statement, and she pulls away. Immediately, I miss the feeling of her next to me. “I … I’m sorry I did that, I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all, but I feel like I nee—” Before I can ask her out to say thanks for saving me from Eve, Glenda calls out for everyone to take their seats.
Taylor smiles at me and walks off to grab her seat.
I go to follow but Grandma pulls on my arm.
When I look back to her, she’s grinning like a carnival clown.
Tapping me on the cheek, she murmurs quietly, “She’s the one.” Then she turns and walks over to the group … taking a seat next to Taylor.
Standing here, I watch her and Grandma together and start to wonder if she’s right. Is Taylor “the one”?