The Friend Zone (The Friend Zone, #1)

by Abby Jimenez

“My granddad used to always say, ‘Even duct tape can’t fix stupid,’” I said, putting my straw in my mouth. “Hmm. No. But it can muffle the sound.”

This was why I hadn’t wanted him here. I knew it was going to be a problem. I had a boyfriend and I was attracted to this guy and now Josh was going to be out here, half-naked and sweaty every time I needed something from the garage. This was a pleasant upgrade from Miguel, for sure.

And the spot on my neck where Josh’s fingers touched me—that was still warm too.

She shook her head. “Love is not a checklist of pros versus cons. It’s a feeling. What are you doing, Kristen?” What I was doing was being smart. Tyler made sense for me. He was the path of least resistance. He was exactly the kind of man I needed.

I couldn’t believe I had to give her up.

We smiled and held each other’s gaze for a moment. A long, lingering moment. And then, just for a second—a split second—her eyes dropped to my lips. That’s all it took. In that moment, I knew. She’d thought about kissing me just then. This isn’t one-sided. It was the first hint I’d seen that she was interested. That she thought of me as more than just a friend. Encouraged, my heart launched into rapid fire as I started debating my options. The boyfriend.

It was sensory overload. So much of him at once I felt dizzy. I wanted to leap off his lap and into the parking lot where I would be safe from myself. But he was the sun. His gravity was too strong, and now that I was so close, I couldn’t get out of his pull.