Girl Gone Viral (Modern Love #2)(95)

“Years.” It was hard to remember a time when Jas hadn’t been with her. Or rather, she didn’t want to remember the time before Jas was with her.

“You’ve cooked him breakfast every morning for every one of those years, right?” Jia asked.

“Yeah, that’s not—”

“What I’m saying is, yes, he should tell you more about his needs, especially if you feel like things are getting one-sided, but pretty sure if he does, you’ll trip over yourself to make it equal, and then he’ll trip over himself to do the same.” Jia’s smile was fond. “I’ve never seen two people more suited to each other, to be honest. You’re equally considerate and kind. In fact, you might have a spiral death match to out-kind each other. I only have one reservation.”

“What’s that?”

“If you get married, you cannot hyphenate your last name.” Jia wrinkled her nose. “God, Katrina King-Singh? You’ll sound like a Dr. Seuss character.”

Katrina and Rhiannon both chuckled.

“It’s not funny, names are so important.” Jia pursed her lips. “Anyway, send a text, open the door. See if he’ll walk through it and be emotionally vulnerable.”

Rhiannon toasted the younger woman. “Good advice, Jia.”

Katrina gave a decisive nod, and pulled out her phone. “What if I say How’s the, and . . .” She squinted at the tiny emoji keyboard. Phew, she must have drunk more than she’d thought. “Peach. For peach farm! His grandpa.”

“Wait, no!” Jia grasped her arm. “Think what a peach means, Katrina.”

She gasped. What had she been thinking? “I sent it.”

JAS’S PHONE DINGED. He picked it up from where he’d dropped it on the hospital bed and peered at the display. He was on his third scotch, and he felt great.

He read Katrina’s text once, then again, trying to puzzle it out.

His grandfather broke off from telling a story to a laughing Gurjit. “Ooooh. Is that Katrina?”

The alcohol had lowered Jas’s inhibitions. “It is, but I don’t understand this text.”

“What does it say?”

“It says, How’s your peach?” He glanced up.

“Oh, son,” his grandfather said with pity. “Even I know what the peach emoji stands for.”

Jas’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “Oh, uh.” His phone dinged again and he snorted. “Okay, this makes more sense. I meant, how’s your grandpa?”

“She’s asking about my peach?”

“Ew.” Jas made a face. “No.”

Andrés sniffed. “You don’t have to say no like that.”

He kept reading. “Sorry, peach for peach farm. There, that’s cleared up.”

He typed out his reply. My grandpa faked the whole thing to get me to come home because he was scared I wouldn’t come to his ceremony. I’ll be back tomorrow.

RHIANNON READ JAS’S reply out loud. “Well, his grandfather sounds like he’s a few peaches short of a—”

“He’s very sweet,” Katrina said repressively.

“Okay, so respond.” Jia nudged her.

“What should I say back?”

“Whatever you want.”

Katrina thought about it for a minute. “I miss you.”

“Wait, that’s way too vulnerable,” Rhiannon yelped.

Katrina cringed. “I hit send again.”

“Katrina!” Rhiannon swiped the phone out of her hand. “We gotta work on this. You have a real problem with premature transmissions.”

I miss you.

Jas sucked in a deep breath.

“What did she send now? More butts?” his grandfather demanded.

Gurjit leaned over and looked at his phone before Jas could hide it. “Aw. She says she misses him.” His mustache jumped in delight. “Jas! This is so sweet. When do I get to meet her?”

“She is very sweet. Think carefully about what to say in reply, son. You have to woo her,” his grandpa warned.

Gurjit scoffed at Andrés. “Let the boy write whatever’s in his heart.”

Jas tapped the phone against his leg. “I can’t tell her what’s in my heart.”

“Why not?”

“Because . . . we kissed for the first time like a minute ago. It’s too soon.”

“So you have strong feelings for her! Listen, when you know, you know,” Gurjit said dreamily.

“I changed my mind,” Andrés counseled. “Tell her how you feel. If you don’t you’ll regret it. There’s lots of things I regret not saying to your grandma.”

“Are there things you regret saying?”

“Yes. But less of those.”

Jas looked down at his phone and typed all the words in his soul. I love you.

Delete.

He hesitated, then typed again. I love you.

Delete. No. That was something to be said in person, not over text.

He typed, a third time.

He only started panicking after he hit send.





Chapter Thirty-One


“WHAT DOES IT say?” Rhiannon shoved Jia aside, but Katrina held the phone against her chest protectively.