Free Stuck on You by Heather Thurmeier Page B

stuffed down her disappointment like it didn’t exist. She wasn’t about to show weakness in front of Zoe. They may be partners and, God help her, roommates, but that didn’t mean Paige was ready to share all her deepest and darkest feelings with the enemy all of a sudden.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said simply.
    Lie. She knew perfectly well. She’d been checking out the common room since her close encounter of the kissing kind with Miles in the kitchen a few nights ago. She’d gone from trying to avoid him to being the one who was now avoided. Every night since the kitchen incident, she’d gone to the common room to hang out with everyone. Only Miles was always missing. She didn’t understand. He’d said he missed her, now he was MIA. It didn’t make sense.
    Zoe set her book beside her, trapping Paige in her lie. “What, you think I’m too thick skulled to notice you glancing around the common room looking for Miles to come in every time someone so much as sniffles?”
    “No, I just … ”
    “If you want a guy like Miles, you’re going to need better moves than that. Look at Eve. Every time that girl sees Miles, she’s first in line to talk to him, flirt with him, touch him.”
    Zoe was right. Damn it. Miles would never notice her sitting in the room like a lump waiting when the room had girls like Zoe and Eve in it. But how would he ever see past those beautiful women to find her? It was useless.
    “It doesn’t matter anyway. I only wanted to say hi to him. He’s kind of nice to talk to.”
    “Sure. Right. You’re looking for good conversation and long walks on the beach.” Zoe didn’t even try to hide the mocking sarcasm in her voice.
    “Fine, you caught me. I think Miles is hot, okay?” Paige said, walking into the bathroom to change into her pajamas. She might be roomies with Zoe but that didn’t mean she felt comfortable enough to change in front of her. Not when it would give Zoe more ammunition to use against Paige when she wasn’t expecting it.
    No way. Her girly bits and pieces were staying hidden.
    “And he’s also funny, and nice to talk to, and he’s super considerate, especially about his friend Ben. I heard from one of the other teams that Miles gave Ben the entire ten thousand dollars he won to help with his medical bills.”
    “That’s sweet,” Zoe said, sounding surprised.
    “Did you know he teaches kids to rock climb? How could I not like him? He’s everything a girl would ever want in a guy.” Paige dropped the dreamy look she knew had to be on her face. She didn’t have the patience to put up with Zoe making fun of her crush on Miles, even though this felt like a lot more than a simple crush. A lot more. Miles was amazing in every sense of the word. “Never mind.”
    “So do something about it,” Zoe said when Paige walked back into the room.
    Paige climbed into bed. “If it were only that easy.”
    “It is. What’s so hard about going after what you want?”
    “That’s easy for you to say when you look like, well, when you look like
you
. But I don’t look like you. Miles is way out of my league. And therefore a non-issue.”
    Zoe sat up and turned toward Paige. “I’m not interested — at all — in Jack Miles. And I can guarantee he’s not interested in me either. So if you want him, then you go and get him but don’t use me as an excuse not to go after him.”
    “It’s not that easy.”
    “It is. You’re making excuses for yourself so you don’t have to risk getting rejected.”
    “Like you know what rejection feels like.” Paige laughed at the absurdity of it.
    Zoe was quiet for a moment while she examined the polish on her nails. “If you don’t want my opinion, then stop whining at me about it.” She got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door closed.
    Did she want Zoe’s opinion? Not really. But did she have any other choice? If they were allowed to make calls, she’d be on the phone