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“I did…”
“Yeah, then you can’t tell me he’s not attractive. He was genuinely excited to meet you and totally torn up. I know what that looks like. The guy is invested.”
“This isn’t you, Mack. You’re a good guy. You’re patient. You’re caring. You’re talented. You have your life together. Don’t even give me that crap about Dean being good-looking. I’ve been watching girls throw themselves at you every damn week for years.”
“Does it even matter though?”
“As much as you think it matters on his end.” I squeeze his forearm, wishing I could take some of his hurt away.
“I just want to see her, hold her. It kills me he was the last one to be with her.”
“I know. She’s going to be here soon, and you’ll be with her all weekend.”
He stares back at me as if he’s wondering how much that matters.
“You know I’m team Mack, 100%. Whoever she chooses, you’ll always have me.”
“I know. Thanks, Lex.” He bumps my shoulder with his. “So, does that mean you’re considering moving here?” He cracks a smile, and it’s only half forced.
“That would be crazy, right?”
“Nah. Crazy would be not doing something you want to just because you think it seems crazy. I really think you’d love it here.”
“I do love it here. It feels like home. I’ve never felt that way before.”
“I don’t know if that has anything to do with Oregon. Might just be Troy.” He reaches his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to him. “I’m so happy for you, Lexy. I couldn’t have picked a better guy for you. No matter what happens with Maci and me, everything that has already happened led to you two finding each other, and I’m thankful that something good has come from it.”
“Hey.” Troy’s voice comes from behind us, and I look up at him. Damn, I love him. The feeling washes over me the second our eyes meet. Maybe itisjust him, but I really love it here too.
Mack stands, and I do the same. “I’m going to head home.”
“Will you be okay? Do you want me to come with you?”
“No, I’m good. You two go back inside. Actually, make Troy buy you some dumplings from that cart over there.” He points up the street. “If anything will sell you on Oregon, it’s those things.” He’s trying to lighten the mood, but there is so much sadness in his voice I can’t help but hug him.
“Let me know when you make it home,” I whisper.
“I will. See you later,” he says as he pulls back, fist bumping Troy before turning to walk away.
Troy’s hands immediately come to my waist, pulling me into him as if he didn’t just have his hands all over me ten minutes ago. “How is he?”
“About how you’d expect. Can’t say I’d want to be in his shoes.”
“Yeah, either of them. Love sucks sometimes.”
“Not with you.”
He grins at my words, his fingers threading through my hair as he kisses me right there in the middle of the sidewalk as if no one else is around. It’s hard and soft, everything I need and not enough all at once. This moment tells me exactly what I need to know.
I pull back. “Buy me some dumplings?”
“Hell yes. Mack is right. These things will sway you hard,” he jokes.
“Hmm, guess we'll see about that.”
He moves to drape his arm around my shoulder, guiding me to the food cart up the block.
He orders and pays, and the guy hands over two paper food trays. Troy takes them both, and I take the receipt from the cart owner. Troy walks back to where I was sitting on the curb with Mack.
