Whiskey and Scotch

Chapter 28

I slept in my own bed that night. Not because the rules technically stated that we could only share a bed in the bedroom if we were coupled up, and not because I didn't want to be close to Bobby and feel that comfort that he always brought me, but because I needed space to come to terms with what he had told me.

Bobby liked me. Like, had romantic feelings for me, liked me. Looking back, I should have seen the signs. He was always there for me, whether I needed a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. He was always the first one at my side when things went wrong – with Rocco, with Lucas, with Chelsea, with Henrik. I had hurt him, and he forgave me. I had made mistakes, and he never turned his back on me, never thought less of me.

I should have seen it in the way he brought me tea, the way he made me breakfast, the way he sent me cookies in my suitcase when we were in Casa Amor. I should have seen it in the way he kissed me way back during the Kiss and Tell challenge. I should have seen it in the way he held me, the way he talked me down when I was upset.

I should have seen it.

Would it be fair to ask him to couple up as friends, not knowing if I could ever return his feelings? Would I even be able to act normal around him, now that I knew his feelings for me? If I distanced myself from him, I might lose his friendship. If I kept acting the same around him as usual, it might be setting him up for heartbreak.

I didn't know what to do.

Still in my pyjamas, I stumbled into the kitchen with a yawn.

"Think about it, dippy egg is best. You get to cut up your toast into wee soldiers and then play dippy soldiers who sacrifice themselves to the almighty yolk."

I kept my eyes to the ground as I walked past him towards the refrigerator.

"Aww, you and your wee dippy soldiers," Priya laughed.

"You are adorable, Bobby," Lottie smiled.

I opened the fridge and stared into it, without actually seeing what was inside. I closed the door, my fingers lingering on the handle.

"What about you, Josie?" Rahim spoke up, causing me to spin around and face him. "How do you like your eggs?"

"Sunny side up," I replied, my eyes wandering to meet Bobby's. I blushed as he gave me a soft, secret smile. "You can still dip a soldier in, too."

"I'll allow it." His smile widened. "And what the lady wants, the lady gets."

He kept his eyes on me as he sauntered in my direction, and I lowered my eyes, my blush deepening as his fingers lightly brushed against mine where they still rested on the door handle of the refrigerator. He pulled open the door and reached in, coming up with a pair of eggs, which he carried over to the frying pan.

"Eggs are good," Henrik mused, "but eggy bread is better. It's like upgraded toast."

I put a couple slices of bread into the toaster and slid onto an open barstool, listening to the others talk about their favourite breakfast foods as they ate. The mood was lighter than it had been in days, as everyone was adjusting to the changes in the group. My toast popped up and I spread a thin layer of butter over the slices before carrying my plate over to the stovetop, where Bobby slid the fried eggs onto my toast.

"Thanks," I smiled shyly at him, then quickly returned to my seat.

Why am I acting so shy around him all of a sudden?

I concentrated on the food in front of me, the voices of the others fading into the background as I ate.

"Who's that?"