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“You were the one who said that relationships are only ever good for three months. All the magic wears off. I’ll start hating all his pants, remember?”

Koko rolls her eyes. “I was talking about the lust-filled ones I always seem to find myself in. Not what you and Mackenzie have.”

“I don’t know how we’d even do it.” I finally let myself think through the logistics. My PhD is going to be intense. I’ll be at school all the time, and traveling home really isn’t in my budget.

Koko leans across the counter and presses her palms into her hands. “Maybe he could move there and join a British rock band. British rock stars are infinitely hotter.”

I start to tell her why that won’t work either, but my phone pings with an incoming text.

It’s a picture of a chocolate cake.

Mackenzie:

Vegan Bailey’s cheesecake. 11/10. Harmony rewarded me for finishing my song. Come quickly. I may not be able to stop.

“I should probably go,” I tell Koko, who smiles as if she fully expected this.

“Tell him hi from me.” She winks, slides off the counter, and disappears behind a rack of coats.

When I reach the door, I hear her call out. “Hey, do you have plans on December twenty-ninth?”

I shake my head, even though I’m not entirely sure she can see me. “I don’t think so. Why?”

Her head pops up from behind a rack, though it is not remotely close to where I thought she was standing. “I’m going to have a little get-together here at the store. Just a few close friends, post-Christmas, before things get too hectic in the new year. Can you and Mac come?”

I wonder if she considers me one of those few close friends. I kind of hope she does.

“I’ll have to check and see if he is working, but you can consider me there.”

• • •

He’s eaten half the cake by the time I get upstairs.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it,” he says, mouth half full as I walk into the kitchen. “I couldn’t even stop myself to put it on a proper plate.” He holds out a second fork. “Save me.”

I take a forkful and bite. “Dear god. What did she put in this?”

“I don’t know,” Mackenzie says. “I love this too much to ask questions.”

His words make me pause mid-bite. He’s talking about the cake, but it’s exactly how I feel about our relationship.

“Hey.” He sets his fork down on the counter. “I want to ask you something.”

The mouthful of cake I’m in the middle of swallowing gets stuck, and I have to cough to dislodge it.

“Wrong hatch?” He pats me firmly on the back.

I nod, swallow, and then take a deep breath. “I’m good.” Unless, of course, he does want to talk about Liverpool; then I’m not at all ready.

“What are you doing for Christmas?”

I am so surprised by his question that I almost choke again. “Christmas? I don’t know. Hanging out here. Why?”

“Well…” He draws the word out. “I was thinking you could come back to West Lake with me. My brothers are staying with my parents for a couple of days. Christmas is much more low-key than it was growing up, so it’s not exactly the full Smith family Christmas experience, but we do eat a lot, and my mom would love to have you. I would love to have you.”

“You asked your mom already?”

He nods. “She’s already bought your matching pajamas.”