The Third Best Thing (Fulton U, #3)

by Maya Hughes

This was my freaking body and I loved the shit out of it. And if I kept telling myself that, maybe one day I’d believe it.

both of my shoulders and stared into my eyes. “Jules, you’ve got to stop. No one would ever be disappointed in having a sexpot, pole-dancing baker as their secret sex pen pal.”

“Sure, you can let go of Jules. My date.” “Jules?! Her name is Julia,” Chet snapped. “My mistake, I just go with what I call her in bed at night.”

but that’s not to say I didn’t appreciate Jules’ quiet beauty. The kind you found yourself sneaking a glance of when she smiled because it was so completely pure and unworried about being anything other than real.

“If there’s anyone who should feel self-conscious, it’s all those other chicks who’ve got absolutely nothing on you in the breast department. KFC is going to burst in here and haul you away.”

“Don’t ever let anyone else make you feel like you’re not awesome.”

In a matter of days, Jules had gone from someone I looked forward to seeing every day, to someone I needed to see. I needed to make her laugh and make sure she was okay. And I wanted her to want that of me too.

“He’s my friend.” “Not from the way he’s checking out your ass, he isn’t.” She lifted an eyebrow with a wide smile.

“Your lips make me forget about everything else. They make me forget about losing, about the hundred people in the hallway beside us, about anything not centered on this mouth. How’d you get so fucking sweet, Jules?”

“You got this, Jules,” she said under her breath. She sure as hell did. Most girls would start with the porn star hair flips and flash as much skin as possible; that was their prerogative. But Jules freaked out about a dress showing some cleavage. Jules let a curse fly here and there and glanced around like the swear police would come lock her up. Jules baked congrats cupcakes for my game. Jules was here with me when she could be anywhere else. Jules was a secret sexy goddess who had a pole in her bedroom.

“Says the pole dancing baker throwing out sex acts involving baked goods.”

I’m working hard on loving myself. I know I can get there. But I can’t do it under the searing spotlight at your side. I can’t do it when I know people are constantly looking at you and back at me and wondering why the hell you’re with me.”

was a fucking coward and I’d lost the best thing that had ever happened to me. Better that than have him realize over time just how much better he could do as the prying eyes and judgement wore me down to nothing.

“And I needed to say that. If you’re going to walk away from me, I don’t want there to be any more secrets between us. I’m head over heels in love with you. Hell, I even felt like I was cheating on The Letter Girl with how much I liked you even from the beginning. And I see you, Jules. “I know there’s so much shit out there about women and their bodies and I don’t want you to think I don’t see you. I love your curves. I love your thighs and how strong they are when you wrap them around my waist.”

“I don’t give a shit what anyone says. I learned that lesson a long time ago. They can say whatever they want, but it’s me and you, okay?” Taking my face in his hands, he brushed at my tears with his thumbs. “It’s us. Tell me when you’re upset, but don’t run. Because now that I know you love me, I’ll never stop the chase. Can you promise me that?”

“How many times do I have to tell you, Jules. I’m into you. Whether it’s in letter form, cookie form, pole dancing form, sitting in your sweats on the couch watching TV form, or any other way you want to show me what you’re all about, I’m here for it. I’m here for you.”

“One of these days you’ll see yourself like I do.”

Did I want to lose weight and be able to squeeze into clothes I could buy in any store, even those places Laura and Mom visited regularly? Sure. Would I ever be one of those girls? Who the hell knew? But I deserved to be happy just as I was, regardless of size, and I deserved the love of someone like Berk. And I wasn’t going to let my doubts about my self-worth get in the way of that anymore.

“And I want to call you, or even write you letters, because I miss you, Frenchie. I miss you so much that even with all the people I’ve lost in my life, it’s you who keeps me up at night because you’re part of my heart. You’re part of my soul and I swear…” I choked through the words, pushing past the tightness in my throat and the tears in my eyes. “I promised I wouldn’t do this, that I’d give you space and not make showing up here like this, but fuck it. I love you so much that my future that was once so crystal clear is a wasteland stretching on as far as I can see when I try to picture it now without you.”

“And you were never the third best thing in my life, Jules. Never. I’d never play a game again, if it meant I could be here with you.”