We gather our things and throw out the trash on our way out the door.
“Your friend Jade is a riot,” Mac says.
“She’s wild, but she’s also an amazing friend.”
“You’re lucky to have her, and she’s lucky to have you.”
Mac’s smile is gentle, and I recognize the soft vulnerability in his eyes. Strange how little it takes to really understand a person. All it takes is the simple putting to death of every grudge and judgmental belief you’ve held onto for years.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
“You’ll think about Thanksgiving?” Mac asks, his voice uncharacteristically quiet.
I promise that I will, and he walks away, leaving me wishing I’d been brave enough to reach out and hug him.
The truth is, I already know what I want to do. But if I’m not brave enough to hug him, how will I be brave enough to say yes?
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
JESSIE
“You’re doing what!” Jade practically yells into my ear.
“I know you heard me.”
“A month ago you were ready to ruin Mac’s life, and now you’re going to his house for Thanksgiving break?”
“For the record, I was not really going to ruin anyone’s life. I was just feeling a little bitter.”
Jade snorts. “A little.”
“But Mac and I are friends now—”
“Friends, my ass. When are you two going to get it on already?”
“Jade! God.”
“Oh right, sorry. You would have to actually kiss first to even get to that— Actually, you know what? You probably don’t even need to kiss. You two have so much fucking tension you could skip right to the good part. It’s been, like, a month of foreplay. Years if you count the banter and rivalry that came before this.”
“Jade, oh my god.” I stuff my toothbrush into my small bag and roll my eyes.
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
“You’re…mostly wrong,” I say without hesitation.
“Ha! I knew it. You want to jump his bones and you’re too chickenshit to admit it.”
“I’m hanging up now,” I singsong. I’m smiling, and she knows it.
“Just call me when you finally kiss, bitch.”
“Byyyyyye.”
I toss my phone onto the bed and rifle through my bag, double-checking I have what I need. It’s just two nights, and Mac said there’s a guest bed and his parents won’t mind at all about having a last-minute guest.
I almost didn’t say yes. I lay on my bed last night clutching my phone to my chest, pep-talking myself into telling him I wanted to go. I want to spend time with Mac and listen to the Black Phantom album with him. The idea of having a home-cooked meal with a large family puts me in near tears of happiness. Even if it’s not my family. When I did finally text and say yes, I threw my phone across the room.
There’s a knock at the door, and I walk over to it, unlocking and opening it to find Mac in the doorway holding a holiday cup from a local coffee shop.
