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We sit in silence on my bed.
“You guys seem… serious.” Sarah finally says.
“Yeah, we are.”
“And he’sWeston Cole.”
I sigh. “I’m well aware. He’s a lot more than a guy who happens to live in Alleghany, though. At least to me.”
“He doesn’t just live there, Maeve. He’s their quarterback.TheEagle. Any guy from Alleghany would be bad, but him?”
“I know all that too,” I assure her.
“And no one knows?”
“Except for you, now.”
“I said I wouldn’t say anything, and I won’t,” Sarah says. “But Maeve, this isn’t going to end well.”
“Probably not.”
The months since Wes and I first kissed haven’t yielded any solution to our main issue; I simply concluded I wanted him more than I cared about the consequences. And I clung to a naïve hope the fascination with him would fizzle and I would never be worse off.
“It just… happened.”
Sarah nods, although I can tell from her expression she doesn’t understand how it could. Honestly, I’d probably be thinking the same thing if I were her. She and I aren’t the type of people to just let things happen. We overthink and over-analyze and assess every outcome. But in this instance, any reasonable outcome wouldn’t have included Wes.
“I should get going,” Sarah says, sliding off my bed. She hesitates before speaking again, and I know they’ll be cautionary words even before she utters them. “Be careful, Maeve. Just be careful.”
I nod. I don’t need the reminder.
As soon as Sarah leaves, I shower and change into a pair of jeans and the gray sweatshirt Wes gave me. I finally washed it, so it doesn’t hold even the slightest hint of cedar and bergamot anymore. All I smell is the lavender scented laundry detergent my mother buys, but the oversized material is still comforting.
I grab my phone and head downstairs. “Liam?” I call out.
“Yeah?” he shouts back from the living room.
“I’m ready to go.”
Liam pokes his head out of the doorway. “Go where?”
“Mo’s! I told you last night I’m covering Clare’s shift, and you said you need the car later, so that you would drop me off. Mom’s at work.”
All my explanation yields is a blank expression.
“I did?” Liam asks.
“Yes!” I exclaim impatiently. “Come on, I have to go now, or I’ll be late.”
“Fine,” Liam grouses, grabbing a baseball cap from the front hall and heading out the front door. I roll my eyes as I grab the sedan’s keys from the hook by the door and follow him. He’s already realized his oversight when I emerge outside, having retraced his steps halfway back up the front stairs.
“You might need these.” I toss the car keys to him.
“Thanks. I’m losing it these days. Dad’s got my head so full of football plays I barely even remember the day of the week. I just have to get through tomorrow.”
Something twists in my chest in response to the reminder Glenmont and Alleghany’s annual clash will be taking place tomorrow night.
“You will,” I reply.
