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“It’s okay, Troy. Really. Water under the bridge or however that expression goes.” I’m a little uncomfortable. It’s not that I’m upset by Troy being here, I’ve moved on from it. I’m searching my brain for a transition to another topic when a hand lands right on my ass. I turn my head back to see Dean as he speaks.
“Troy.” He says it firmly, in a “back off” tone, but still reaches his free hand out to fist bump his friend.
“Hey, Dean.” His eyes flash back to me, landing first on Dean’s sweatshirt covering me, then to where Dean’s lips meet my hair as he kisses the side of my head. “Ahhh.” Realization flashes across his face, and he smiles like he’s genuinely happy about this new information. “I’ll see you guys around. Talk to ya later, Maci.”
As soon as he is out of earshot, Dean turns to me like he’s waiting for an explanation of my interaction with Troy.
“Are you okay?” I ask, trying not to laugh at the way his eyebrows are furrowed together. I don’t know why this entire situation is funny to me.
“You two had a thing, didn’t you?” He’s upset, like he caught me in a lie.
I wrap my arms around his waist and pull myself into him. He’s hesitant at first, but then lets me. “I wouldn’t call it that. We went out once and he ghosted me. Apparently, my type is guys who can’t commit.” I shrug and laugh to myself. I’m not mad, I just think I’m funny.
He isn’t amused. “That’s not funny. So, if he hadn’t done that, you’d probably be with him right now.”
I stand on my toes to kiss him. His eyes don’t even close. “Dean.” I switch my tone to match his seriousness though I don’t know why this created an argument. “You know how I feel about you.”
“I have an idea,” he mumbles.
“I don’t want to be with anyone else. You know I want to be with you. What’s gotten into you?” I’m still on a high from the way Dean ravished me in his bedroom a half hour ago. How could I think about anyone but him? His jealousy is absurd, to the point it’s comical. “You’re acting all commitment-y. If it makes you feel better, you could just decide to let me be your girlfriend right now.” I grin at him, not expecting him to take the bait or necessarily caring if he does. I’m surprised when he stares back at me like he’s actually considering it, but he doesn’t respond. “Or we can go back inside, and I can return your favor from earlier if you need a little help relaxing.” I attempt a wink at him.
Finally his face cracks with a smile. “Later.” He pulls me into him and leads me toward the fire.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Maci:What are you and Miller up to tonight?
Avery:Hanging out with his parents at the cabin. We might as well be married already. Haha What about you? Plans with Dean?
Maci:I wish, but no. He has to work tonight.
Avery:He’s still at the hot tub place, right? Isn’t he the only one there when he works? You should go hang out with him.
Maci:I guess I could ask.
Avery:Just show up!!
Maci:It’s not crazy?
Avery:He shows up last minute whenever he wants to see you all the time. It’s only fair you’re allowed to do the same. Do it!! It’s New Year’s Eve, Maci. What better way to start the year than showing him you want to spend it with him?
Maci:Yeah, you’re right. I knew you were my best friend for a reason.
By the time I pull into the small gravel parking lot of Dean’s work in my dusty red Corolla., there’s only an hour until midnight. I start to think of reasons why showing up unannounced is a bad idea, but remember what Avery said. Dean and I have been hanging out for two months now, and if we are going to act like we are together most of the time, spending almost every night together, and him acting with the possessiveness and insecurity he did around Troy, then I have every right to make choices based on that. It’s reasonable to want to revisit the idea of putting a label on our relationship at this point. It’s time to figure out what’s holding him back from taking that small extra leap and giving us a real chance and a label.
I get out of my car and lock it, looking over toward the check-in counter. I can see Dean from here, but I doubt he can see me, even if he turned around. His “office” is a freestanding five by five room. There’s a door on the side nearest to me and a giant open window on the wall next to it with a counter directly below it. It’s made of the same type of wood as the hot tub rooms, cedar, I think. He’s sitting on his swivel stool, in his usual navy Carhartt jacket and blue swishy pants, facing away from the opening. It looks like he’s on the phone. I wonder if his phone voice is different from his regular one. Sometimes my customer service voice comes out when I call someone, and it drives me crazy.
I’m not trying to eavesdrop, but as I get closer, it’s easy to make out some of what he says. He sounds like his normal self, but I can hear annoyance in his voice. “I know I need to. I’m going to tell her soon.” He twists slightly back and forth. One of his feet is propped against the back wall creating the motion. My stomach drops. Who is “her?” I’m not trying to assume it’s me, but it's hard not to jump to conclusions. I wonder who is on the other end of the call. Sounds like someone he’s willing to be vulnerable with.
Whoever is on the other line must pass the conversation back to him. “Mom, I will, I promise. She’s just going to be upset.” Another pause. “It doesn’t matter how I feel about it.” His irritation is evident as his foot kicks off the wall hard enough this time to spin him around. I’m still a few feet back from the building, but I’m in his line of sight now. He grips the counter to stop his spin. “I have to go, Mom, I’ll talk to you later.” He sets his phone down.
“Maci, hi.” The way he’s looking at me, I know he’s trying to determine how much of his conversation I heard. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“It’s okay, I just got here. Is everything okay?” I try to hide my anxiousness as I take a step closer, and he opens the door to let me in the little office.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” He pushes the door shut behind me after I walk through.
“Is it okay that I'm here?” I was confident by the time I got here, but now it seems like I’ve invaded his space.
