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“I think . . .” I paused, and my eyes closed. “I think I actually do love you.”

He chuckled softly, “Baby you’ve loved me as long as I’ve loved you.”

I mumbled a reply in agreement right before I fell asleep.

“RAE,” JAKE’S HANDS formed into a megaphone by his lips. “Earth to Rae. Come in Rae.”

I rolled my eyes and threw my empty paper cup in his direction, across the table, “Shut up Jake.” I was more than a little distracted with Step-Vader’s late night trek into my room last night. To divert me from my anxiety Peter had called in the troops to meet up for pizza and a night of fun. I still didn’t know what the fun was going to be yet.

Jake laughed and swatted it away, only it bounced off his hand and hit R.J. on the side of the head, close to his temple.

“Dude!” R.J. protested, wadding the cup into a ball and aiming it at Jake’s head.

“Bro, it was an –” the ball hit him in the forehead, smack in the middle. “Accident.”

R.J. nearly fell off the end of the booth, laughing hysterically.

Hayley leaned over and whispered in my ear, “And they wonder why we prefer college guys.”

“Right,” I agreed, rolling my eyes. “I don’t think they’ve changed since elementary.”

“Harsh,” Peter protested, a big grin spreading across his face. “I think they’ve matured to at least middle school.”

Hayley and I giggled.

“I might give them sixth grade, but that’s generous,” Hayley folded her arms across her chest, watching the two of them as they blew straw paper at each other in some sort of war. Two dozen straws already littered the table. “I take that back. Fifth grade tops.”

“Very generous,” I added, trying to hold back my laughter at their sullen expressions. My eyes rose to Peter’s, expecting to find him amused. Instead, he was gazing out the front windows of the restaurant, a frown marring his brow, “Pete?”

He turned back to me slowly and reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers, “Don’t worry Rae. Everything is fine.” He beat me to the question, knowing what I was going to ask. “Seem like the pizzas are taking forever?”

“Definitely,” Jake agreed, rubbing his belly. “I’m starved.”

“All you do is eat,” Hayley poked him in the stomach. “How do you stay so skinny?”

Jake was six foot three and a hundred and sixty pounds, soaking wet and fully clothed. Even so, he was handsome. A bright smile, hazel eyes framed by dark lashes girls would kill for, and long wavy brown hair to his shoulders. I knew this by heart. Hayley always described him that way to me as her eyes glazed over.

I wasn’t the only one who liked someone in our group.

“Babe, I’m fit. There’s a difference,” he pointed out. “Besides I’m muscular. Look at these guns.” He lifted his arms and flexed.

“Impressive,” she gushed, raising a finger and touching his bicep.

R.J. snorted, “Impressive for a skinny runt. Check these out,” he flexed bigger muscles than Jake, but Hayley shrugged, her eyes only for Jake.

Jake seemed to notice as his grin grew wider.

“So, Hayley,” he began as his arm slid around her shoulders. “When are you going to let me take you out?”

R.J. shook his head at Peter as he shrugged, rubbing my palm and smiling, “Hayley and Jake sitting in a tree . . .”

R.J. laughed so loud he snorted, “More like you and Rae.”

Pete sat up taller. “Works for me,” he leaned forward and kissed me gently. “I can kiss Rae forever.”

I blushed, “Peter!”

R.J. groaned, “Man, now I’m the only one without a date.”

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