CHLOE BAKER'S LOST DATE

Chapter Fourteen: Enter Ben

And what about Ben? Rachel and I could be sisters. Should I read anything into that? It's okay to have a type. Maybe I do, too, though I've never thought about it. But maybe he wasn't into me, exactly, but a memory of Rachel. Maybe I was a way to start over with her again, with a clean slate.

Maybe I'm reading way too much into this as always.

"What do you think I should do?" I ask Kit.

"Reach out."

"What, through Facebook?"

"Why not?"

I shiver under my blanket. I'd thought of doing that but then realized it was a terrible idea. "Ugh, no. Facebook Messenger is the worst. You can tell when someone's read your message."

"So?"

"What if I message him and he reads it and doesn't respond?"

"You'd have your answer, then."

"Only about whether he was interested. Not about the rest of it."

"What's the rest of it?"

"Why he pretended to be Jack. Why he didn't tell me the truth over the course of a whole day. What he wanted from me."

Why he kissed me? That's what I wanted to know most of all. Why'd he have to go and kiss me?

"That's a lot of questions. He might not answer any of them even if you met him in person."

"Yeah, I know."

"You want to, don't you?"

I close my laptop screen. Staring at Ben isn't helping. "In my head again?"

"It's an interesting place."

"Ha. Am I crazy?"

"For wanting to see him? No. But are you ready for that, Chlo?"

"For face-to-face rejection? Probably not. But look at all the trouble I went to, to meet him. I can't turn away now."

"So, there's your answer, then."

"Right."

I put the laptop aside and stand up. I'm stiff from sitting in the same position for so long, so I raise my hands above my head, then bend to touch my toes. I've always been flexible, and I stretch out my back, placing my hands flat on the floor, the phone tucked under my chin.

"What are you going to do if not a message?" Kit asks.

"Not sure."

"You could ask Dave for his number."

"And then Dave would know I was interested. No."

"Who cares?"

"I do."

"You could make up some story."

I stand up. "I've made up enough stories."

"True."

"But, hmmm, you've given me an idea."

"What?"

"I'll tell you if it works out. Thanks for the pep talk."

"Anytime."

We hang up and I text Dave. Hey, so sorry to miss the engagement party last weekend, congratulations again! Great photos on FB. Let me know where you're registered so I can get you a gift.

Dave answers almost immediately, which I knew he would. He's always on his phone.

Hey, hey. We missed you!