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“You got it,” Maggie promised, heading for the counter.
They had one that came topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and tiny gingerbread men, so Maggie knew what she was getting for Mariana without question. It took her longer to decide for herself.
She’d had coffee before leaving Katie’s—or, perhaps more accurately, she’d made Katie coffee before work but Katie hadn’t even had time to finish her full cup. So Maggie had finished it. Stuff like that had been part of their friendship for so long that Maggie knew it wasn’t supposed to feel weird. It hadn’t always been weird. But then Maggie had developed some very awkward feelings for her best friend and, well, then everything became a little awkward. She was still more comfortable around Katie than anyone else in the world—Katie was the one person she always wanted to be around.
But, the problem was that Katie was the one person she always wanted to be around. And not in a platonic way. So, when it came to sharing a cup of coffee right as Maggie was sending Katie out the door for work, her bag packed with more food than she’d eaten yesterday, it wasn’t hard to feel like it was something more than friendship. And that just set off a longing Maggie didn’t know how to fix.
Because, no matter what they did, no matter how many cups of coffee they shared over morning farewells, they weren’t a couple. And Maggie—and apparently Rea, and possibly Malik—knew she wanted to be.
She wasn’t getting coffee. Not even the sickly sweet one she was getting Mariana.
She stepped up to the counter and ordered a large caramel hot chocolate. She might not have Katie, but she could have sweetness up to her eyeballs.
“Seems about right,” Mariana commented once Maggie rejoined her at their table.
“Well, I did tell you I was going to get drinks. I’m not really sure what you expected me to return with.”
“See, now I know you understand what I’m getting at. You only get snarky like that when you’re defensive.”
“Also when I’m confused.” Maggie gestured to her. “But, if you want to illuminate me on what’s bothering you, I’d be happy to respond.”
Mariana watched her as she took a sip of her coffee, delighting in the sickly sweet flavor of it. “Where were you last night?” she asked eventually.
Maggie’s stomach dropped slightly. She finally got it. How she hadn’t up until that point, she wasn’t really sure, but, well, maybe that was the problem. Maybe she’d been running high and low on the emotions of having gone home with Katie last night, sharing a pizza, snuggling on the sofa under one blanket even though Katie had a million of them—mostly for Maggie, if she was honest—and waking up together, sending Katie off to work, sharing a coffee… It really was a problem. And apparently, the whole world knew.
Except Katie.
“Oh. Uh.” Maggie chewed her lip briefly. “Just, you know, at Katie’s. I had a job at the hospital and she happened to be on shift.”
“How long after you were done did you wait for her?”
Maggie loved Mariana. They’d been roommates in college and friends ever since. She owed her current career to Mariana.
Back when they’d first met, Mariana had arrived from Colombia knowing nobody else in the city, and Maggie had been the product of a family who cared well enough if you were close by, but the minute you moved away, it felt very much like being out of sight and out of mind. They’d both needed someone to hold onto and, thankfully, they’d found that person in their own room. Maggie barely kept in touch with anyone else from college, and she was certain Mariana didn’t, but the two of them were with each other through thick and thin. They were family.
But Mariana was the kind of family who saw through all your bullshit and didn’t let you get away with it. Maggie often thought her godsons’ teenage years were going to be a trip with Mariana seeing through every bit of teenage nonsense they were undoubtedly going to try.
As if they hadn’t been the same when they were teens.
Maggie sighed. “A couple of hours.”
“Hm. So, her whole shift, plus extra, I’m guessing.”
How did she do that?
“I was working for a lot of it,” Maggie insisted.
“Sure you were.” She tilted her head. “So, did you tell her yet?”
Maggie choked on her drink. “I didn’t even knowyouknew. Why would I tell Katie?”
“¡Qué oso!” Mariana rolled her eyes.
“Hey!” Maggie protested. “She’s my best friend. I’m not trying to destroy everything.”
Mariana sighed heavily. “Look. You’re family, Maggie, but you’re letting the side down. This has been going on long enough, and, for someone who just might be the smartest person I’ve ever met when it comes to medicine, your girlfriend is a complete fool when it comes to understanding relationships.”
“That’s not true. She’s great with people, her patients, the staff. She has tons of friends.”
