“Do you think it’s because I’m short?”

“No, ma’am?”

“Maybe the sex isn’t that great?”

“I don’t know.”

Exhaling hard, she shook her head. “Maybe I should have gone and gotten vodka?”

“Yeah, forget everything, and you won’t get fat.”

She nodded. “And, see, he loves my big butt.”

“But he doesn’t love you?”

“No, right?” she asked, shaking her head, her eyes filling with tears. Looking back to him, she sort of felt bad because he couldn’t be over twenty, but she needed to talk. “That’s the thing, though. I don’t want to get drunk and forget. I love him. With my whole heart.”

He thought that over for a minute. “What did he say?”

“He told me he couldn’t say it.”

“Maybe he’s scared?”

She scoffed at that. “He’s a mess. For a confident guy, he sure is scared of the silliest things. He won’t get a tattoo. Maybe that should have been a clue.”

“Afraid of commitment,” he agreed and Brie nodded.

“No, ’cause I know he is committed to me.”

Her new best friend thought for a moment. “Maybe he does love you, but he’s just too scared to say it.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I mean, it happens.”

“Yeah. But what do I do with that?”

He shrugged. “Break up?”

“No, I don’t want to break up.”

“Give him time?”

She exhaled loudly. “I guess. But how much time?”

“How much time have you got for him?”

A smile pulled at her lips. “Forever.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

“But is that fair to me?”

“I mean, do you want to be without him?”

“No.”

“Would it hurt being with him and knowing that he probably does love you but is too scared to say it?”

“No. ’Cause I think I know.”

“So I say, eat some ice cream and chill, you know?”

She smiled up at him and held out her hand. “I’m Brie.”

He smiled back, taking her hand. “Nathan.”

Her heart stopped as she held his gaze, and then her smile grew. “His brother who died was named Nathan.”

“That’s not weird at all.”

“Nope, maybe it’s a sign.”

“Yeah, if you believe in that stuff.”

“Either way, Nathan, this means a lot to me. You talking to me.”

Nathan smiled, nodding his head. “Anytime. I’m here every day.” He gave her a wink, and she really wasn’t one to believe in silly things like signs, but this was one hell of one even she couldn’t ignore. “So what can I get you?”

“Everything?”

As they shared a laugh, Brie watched as he got her two tubs of ice cream and a big cone. While she knew it wouldn’t fill the void where Vaughn’s words were supposed to be, she knew she had to give him time.

She loved him.

So, really, there was no other option.

“Why are you pacing?”

Vaughn ignored Jensen, opening the door to see if he saw or heard Brie. When there was no sign of her, he checked his phone. “I don’t know where she is, and she hasn’t called or texted me.”

“Brie?”

“Yeah.”

“Shit, did you two get in a fight?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head, unsure what had really happened. All he knew was he was panicking. “Well, not really, but after the meeting with Elli, she told me she loved me—”

“Oh, Lord.”

“Yeah, pretty sure I fucked that up.”

“I’m sure you did.”

“Thanks for the confidence there, best friend guy.”

“Anytime,” Jensen said dryly as Vaughn checked his phone once more. “So I’m guessing you didn’t say it back.”

“No.”

“Vaughn, really?”

“What?”

“You basically put your career on the line and fought to keep the girl here so you wouldn’t have to be apart. She’s the only woman I have ever seen go into your room and leave out the following morning with you, and she keeps you on your toes, but you don’t love her?”

Vaughn shrugged. “I just don’t know, okay? It’s scary.”

“Well, no shit, Sherlock. It’s love. Not hockey.”

“My point exactly! I know if I shoot the puck, it will go flying. I don’t know if I say I love her if I mean it. I want to mean it.”

“How can you not mean it? Your actions mean it.”

Vaughn threw his hands up. Tricksie started barking as she bounced around, but he was too freaked out even to try to comfort her. “I don’t know, Jenny, I just don’t.”

Laughing, Jensen shook his head. “This isn’t like you. You know what you want. You know what you feel, you just don’t want to put yourself out there because then you’ll be all in. Right now, you have a pinkie toe holding on to the edge to make sure if you need to bolt you can. Dude, don’t be like that. She deserves all of you. She’s a gem, and you know it.”

Groaning loudly, Vaughn covered his face. “Dude, okay, just get off my back, please. I can’t right now. I just want to see her. I haven’t heard from her since I saw her at Elli’s office, and it’s freaking me out.”

“Wasn’t I right last time?”

“And can’t I kick your ass?”

“You’re being a pathetic baby.”

“Takes one to know one.”

Jensen laughed at that one as Vaughn pulled the door open to check once more. No sign of her, and he shut it loudly as he groaned.

“Dude, just call her.”

“She said she wanted space.”

“Then text her.”

“Space, Jensen!”

“So? Just say you’re checking in. That you’re worried.”

“She said she wants space. Doesn’t that mean I leave her alone?”

“Do you care?”

“No,” he decided as he lifted his phone and sent her a text.