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“Do they know who it was?” Connor asked as we turned down Court Street.
“Katie’s ex,” I explained. “Katie is Maci’s roommate. Really cool girl.”
“Do you know the guy?”
I shrugged, thinking back to the very few times I interacted with Tyler. “I met him once, I think. Don’t really know anything about him. But Katie’s a smart girl so if she broke up with him he’s probably a dick.”
“Hmm,” Connor stated and looked straight ahead at the road.
I was relieved that it was Connor with me and not Bryson or Jared. I wouldn’t have to pretend anything in front of him when it came to Maci.
I parked the Jeep right next to Maci’s Elantra in the rear parking lot. Her back right window was cracked, and I shook my head. She was way too comfortable in her surroundings.
Coming up the stairs.
The door to the apartment opened as soon as we entered the hallway.
“You don’t follow directions well,” I said as soon as I stepped foot in the living room.
I instinctively looked around as if Tyler had snuck inside and was hiding among the Christmas decorations that flooded the apartment. Connor locked the deadbolt as soon as both of us were inside.
“What do you mean?” Katie demanded. She looked exhausted.
I threw my bag on the couch and smiled softly at her. “I just meant that I told Maci not to open the door until I was standing in front of it. I heard there’s a psycho ex running around here or something?” I pulled Katie into a hug. She smacked me playfully on the chest, setting the mood between us back to normal.
“Down the hall is hardly not following directions.” Maci leaned against her bedroom doorway and crossed her arms, remaining on the other side of the living room. She looked just as exhausted as Katie did.
“This is my roommate, Connor.” I turned to make introductions. “This is Katie and Maci.”
“Nice place.” Connor smiled at Katie and surveyed the Christmas display. “Definitely more cheerful than ours.”
Connor’s poker face completely sucked ass. I bit my lip to keep from smiling and turned to focus on the lights that lined the ceiling. I had a hunch when I first met Katie that she was totally Connor’s type. Here he was, proving me right.
A shy smile appeared on Katie’s face. “We were just about to start another Christmas movie. Any suggestions?”
Connor helped himself to a drink from the fridge as if he was just here last night doing the same routine. I raised my eyebrows at Maci, attempting to get any kind of reaction from her. She mirrored my expression and cocked her head. I loved how we were on the same wavelength.
“I heard Nightmare Before Christmas goes fantastic with Mike’s.” Connor pulled out two bottles. Katie joined him in the kitchen, and they were immediately sucked into their own bubble.
Maci bumped me with her shoulder, and I opened up my arms so she could wrap her tiny figure around mine. It felt good to have her near me, to feel her relax into my touch.
“Do you guys offer that on tap yet?” I gestured toward the bottles of Mike’s on the counter.
“It appears that way.” She smiled sleepily into my chest. When she looked up at me, the lights above us appeared in her blue eyes. “Thank you for coming.”
“Are you gonna stay awake for this movie?” I grinned at the way she was barely keeping her eyes open.
“Probably not.” She released her grip and lowered her voice to a whisper. “But I don’t want to leave Katie if she isn’t going to be able to sleep.”
“I don’t think she’s going to need us,” I whispered back and motioned to where Connor and Katie were setting up the movie.
Connor was holding the remote out in front of him, and Katie was laughing at something he had just said. Neither of them looked our way one time.
“Katie?” Maci piped up and Katie shot her a look like she forgot she was in the room. “Has Tyler texted you or anything?”
“No,” Katie said confidently. “I think I’m good!” Her eyes widened, and she shot us a look that read, “No need to hover, get lost”.
“I can chill out here if you want to go to bed,” I offered.
