AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Bye.”
I open the passenger door, and he shouts, “Hey, do you want me to carry you up the stairs? Might be safer.”
“Hate you!” I chuckle, crossing in front of the truck.
Jesse leans out the driver’s side window. “You know you love me!”
My face heats as I turn to him one last time.
I have to look away or I’ll never let him leave. I push my key into the lock and smile.
ChapterNineteen
Jesse
I go to sleep with a smile on my face Sunday night but wake up to an alarming call from Nate.
I ignored him the first two times he rang, trying to go back to sleep and dream some more about Mariam. Why the hell did I take her to her apartment? Why are we both such ultra-responsible nerds?
Last night I texted her as soon as I arrived back at the ranch, sending her photos of me on horseback with the caption: “This could be us, but you have to make the donuts.”
She’d replied by begging me not to try to copy memes that the younger generations use.
Me: You’re killin’ me, Smalls.
Mariam: I don’t know who Smalls is, but if you accidentally called me by your ex-girlfriend’s name, just know that’s your one and only pass on that. Next time, it’s curtains, buddy.
Me: Okay, next rainy day, we’re watchingThe Sandlot.
Mariam: Sounds sport-related. No, thank you.
Me: What if I promise to rub your feet, and then we can watchThe Mandalorian?
Mariam: Ugh. Fine.
Me: I miss you.
Mariam: I miss you too. Let’s not say goodbye anymore. That’s just dumb.
Me: Agreed.
I spent about half an hour typing three words, deleting them, retyping them, and deleting them before giving up and going to bed.
If and when I say the words, I want to say them while looking into her eyes.
On the third call from Nate, I pick up.
“Dad, you need to get down here.”
I sit up in bed, throwing off the covers. “Down where?”
“To the bakery.”
My first thought, of course, is there’s a fire. I bolt out of bed and grab jeans and a shirt. “What’s going on? Where are you? Where’s Mariam?”
Nate’s words are muffled because it sounds like he’s walking around outside on a windy day, but I catch phrases like “trouble,” “Joyce,” “selling her building,” and “huge argument in the street.”
Whatever the hell he’s talking about, it sounds bad. And the fact that Mariam is somehow in trouble involving that real estate lady only makes me see red.
