His eyes widened at her insinuation but he knew he shouldn’t have been that surprised. He felt it, he just didn’t know how to name it. “Shit…I’m in love? No, I mean, I don’t think I’ve even admitted it to myself,” he told her with a laugh as his cheeks heated up and he reached back to rub at his neck. “I’ve never really been in love before, it’s new for me. I mean aside from Collin of course,” he added with another laugh, though it wasn’t a lie. “Hey!” He swatted at the bread and shook his head. “Rude.” He puffed out his cheeks at her pep talk but he appreciated it. She was absolutely right, of course but he had to believe it himself. “What if I tell her and she doesn’t say it back? I mean, how do you ever tell someone you’re in love with them without freaking them out?” He was freaking out of course but mostly because he was absolutely falling in love and it felt a bit like slowly free falling.
He thought about her words, his thinking face clear as he stayed quiet for a moment. “Scrap big sponsorship, yes for small business exposure. Let’s scrap the Ice Spice idea though because as much of a hit as she has, she’s not the performer that’s really gonna get the crowd dancing, you know? We need someone who sings and dance, gets the party going. Kehlani would be a much harder get but can’t hurt to ask, right? Give the gays what they want,” he added with a smirk before laughing. “Okay, LLC, hell yeah. I’ll grab Collin’s brain to start work shopping some names. Bueller Bashes,” he said and started laughing as he thought of a few. “Flynn’s Fiesta’s. Ooo add that to the list. Good, I’m glad. That’s what matters.”
Suede laughed softly as she watched him process her take on things in real time. “I mean, I’m not in your head feeling what you’re feeling so you have to take my view with a grain of salt but that’s what it sounds like, at least.” She shrugged. “Collin’s a lovable guy, hm?” Her smile shifted to something smaller but somehow more personal as she thought of him. But this wasn’t about Collin, she was being there for Flynn. “You deserved that! So what if she doesn’t say it back? It’s not about reciprocity, is it? It’s about honesty and vulnerability. I bet she feels as strongly for you, honestly. Do you honestly think she’d travel back to Rosewood as often as she does for someone she doesn’t feel that strongly for? I don’t know Axel well but I feel pretty confident that she’d rather be in California than visiting here all the time. So even if she’s not ready to say it back yet I don’t see her freaking out and ghosting you. I don’t think you can see that, either.”
Suede perked up and took to her notes app again, listing small businesses she knew of already of a new note, putting the task of finding others on the old note. “Okay, Ice Spice is gone. You’re asking me to work miracles with Kehlani and I think we might need to get Kid Grantwood or someone else involved on that one but I can try my best. I can promise you queer, BIPOC owned small business sponsors though. That’s easy. Would you be down for a vendors area? Like, if there’s a jewelry or perfume store they could have a table and sell at the party?” She loved a project and she loved clear steps to success. This was where Suede thrived. “I think you can do better than both of those but there’s no bad ideas in brainstorming. Speaking of Collin, though...” Her eyes suddenly focused on the piece of bread she was tearing into small pieces over her plate. “Has he been acting differently with you lately?”