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Avery:I was thinking we’d ditch boys and go on our own date! Sweet Cheeks Winery is having a girls only night! It can be our Christmas date a week early since Miller and I are going back to the cabin with his parents in a few days. You in?
Maci:YES!
“Have fun ladies!” Miller yells out the window as we climb out of his car in front of the winery. Avery reminded me this was a date and made me turn back around to put on my black fit n flare dress and tights when they stopped by to pick me up earlier. Especially the last few years, her focus has been mainly on Miller, and I can’t fault her for that. If Dean wanted to spend as much time with me as Miller does with Avery, I can’t say I wouldn’t be the same. That being said, when it’s just the two of us, she’s all in, and I love that about her.
We find a table inside by the full wall window that overlooks the vineyard after ordering a full bottle of Rosy Cheeks at the bar–it’s the best wine they have, hands down.
“Sooooo,” Avery starts. “What’s up with Dean these days? Taylor said she didn’t see him at all at his party last week?”
“I think he was just busy since it was his party. When I went back, he wouldn’t let me out of his sight. There was some other girl there. It was like he was trying to make her…I’m not sure. Mad?” I take a sip of my wine and look away knowing my best friend will be a little judgy about this. I’m not sure why I brought up that part.
Her eyes narrow. “Like…trying to make her jealous or trying to show her he’s taken?”
“From what Marcus said, I think more to get her off his back. But he sure wasn’t shy about ditching his party for me.” I lean forward onto my fist, and sigh happily recalling the end of that night.
“I just want you to be happy and be in a relationship you deserve. If he’s giving you what you need, then I’m happy.”
“I really like him, Avery. Like I’ve never felt like this about someone. I know that sounds crazy because it hasn’t been very long, and especially since I still don’t know everything about him, but our chemistry is unreal. I can’t imagine that’s easy to find, and that has to count for something.”
“It does, and it’s a good starting place for sure. Checks off a box on your senior year plan too!”
“Right! I mean he is basically my boyfriend, just without the title. Taco Tuesdays ended up being more like taco Thursdays, but whatever, still counts. And I have gone to run club every week, sometimes twice. I’d say I’m doing well for only being a quarter into the school year!”
“Feels good, huh?” She grins.
“Yeah, it really does.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Theonlytimewego to Dean’s is when he hosts parties. Apparently, since Marcus and Dean moved in, it’s been the go to place for all their friends because they are the only ones with a house and a yard instead of an apartment. I like the parties and his friends because they are chill, nothing like the insanity of Troy’s fraternity’s party, which is how I picture most college parties to be.
The fire is already blazing by the time I get there. I’m dressed much more appropriately tonight than the first time I got invited to a party here, but I still put in a little effort. I can’t help but want to look good for Dean. I’ve got on dark blue jeans that make my ass look great, and I curled my hair and put on more makeup than just mascara. I was going to wear a cute sweater, but at the last minute opted for Dean’s maroon hoodie he let me borrow on our first date. He never asked for it back, and I never offered it. It’s a little big on me, but this color looks good against my hair, and it’s comfortable. I’m hoping I can get it to smell like him again.
I walk down the hill to where Dean is throwing a few more logs on the fire to make it bigger. Marcus and Aden are the only other ones here so far. I passed them stocking the coolers on the patio on my walk over to the fire. When Dean catches sight of me, he pauses mid log throw.
“Hi! Anything I can help with?” I look at his hand holding the wood.
He drops it into the flames, his heated eyes ripping his clothes off me. Without saying anything, he walks up to me, picks me up and tosses me over his shoulder before heading up the hill. I can’t help but giggle the entire way to the patio, slapping my hands playfully on his back, half-ass begging him to put me down. As he opens the sliding back patio door, Marcus looks up from the cooler, a smirk on his face.
Forty minutes later, with my fallen curls tied into a ponytail, I slip back outside. Dean had to run to the convenience store around the corner to get ice, so I decide to get a drink while I wait. At least twenty people arrived while we were inside. I head to the cooler and pick out a lemonade Truly. I crack the top and turn to walk toward the fire. As I lift the can to take a sip, hearing my name causes me to freeze mid drink.
“Maci?”
I spin on my heels to face the patio again. “Troy? …Hey. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to party?” he says, like it’s obvious, but adds, “I played football in high school with one of the guys who lives here.”
Wait, he and Dean arefriends? That’s weird. “Ooh, okay, that’s cool.”
“Yeah, what about you? You’re the last person I expected to see tonight.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be repeating the mistakes I made last time.” I genuinely laugh at myself, thinking back to how drunk I was at his fraternity’s party. I have been much smarter about my alcohol since then.
“Sooooo, you’ll let me talk to you this time?” Ironically, his joking tone is what halts my laughter.
“Umm, I mean if you want. But I’m sure whatever we were going to talk about then doesn’t matter anymore.” I say it gently, I’m not trying to be rude. I truly don’t care why he ghosted me anymore. If he hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have met Dean, and as much as I wanted to see where things went with Troy at the time, the way I felt around him is nothing compared to the way my body lights up in response to Dean.
“I guess not, but I did want to explain myself. I figured I at least owe you that.”
