Carson, I’ll pick Harley up from the sitter after my last class.”
“Babe, I’ll pick her up. I have one class today and I’m only going to stop by his place for an hour or so.”
“Okay,” I replied, then kissed Harley before walking into the living room to grab my bag. “I’ll see you tonight.” I knew it wasn’t fair, he deserved to hang out with his friends, but I couldn’t help the tightness in my chest.
“Are you not going to tell me goodbye?” Hayes asked, spinning me around. “I won’t push you to tell me what’s wrong, but you better at least give me a kiss.”
I smiled weakly, then placed a kiss on his lips. “Sorry,” I whispered. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with me.”
Hayes smashed his lips against mine, giving me a hard, lingering kiss before pulling back. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said before opening the door and leaving.
***
Heading to the union after leaving my second class of the day, my cell began ringing.
I smiled at Miranda’s name on the screen. “Hey.”
“Hey, isn’t today when you have that big gap between your second and third class?”
“Yeah,” I replied, weaving in and out of people walking along the sidewalk.
“Brad and I were wondering if you’d like to come have lunch with us. He’s picking me up in front of the union.”
“Yes. I was on my way there anyway. I’ll see you in a minute.”
“Great. I’ll be waiting.”
We disconnected and I couldn’t help the sudden pep in my step. Maybe having lunch with my two best friends was exactly what I needed.
I picked up my pace, walking as fast as I could until I reached the front of the building. Miranda’s long blonde hair waved in the wind, making her easy to spot.
“Hey, you,” I said, coming to stand beside her and placing my arm around her.
“I have missed you,” she replied, wrapping her arms around me. Miranda was my very best friend, aside from her boyfriend and my adoptive brother, Brad. And, of course, Hayes.
“You just saw me like three days ago.”
“I know, but I still missed you.” She looked down the street. “Brad should be here any minute.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and tried to relax. I had no idea what had me all messed up inside, but I needed to get it under control. I knew Hayes loved me, and I knew he loved Harley. Maybe it was our impending trip back to Maverick and knowing I’d be there for more than a couple days. Running into my parents was a high possibility…if they still lived there. I was sure Hayes’ parents knew, but I never asked. I didn’t really want to know.
“Here he comes,” Miranda said, stepping closer to the street.
I glanced up and saw Brad’s big black truck pulling up in front of us. I walked closer and opened the back door, pulling myself up and in. “Hi,” I said. “I hope you don’t mind me crashing your lunch date.”
Brad gave Miranda a peck on the lips before turning to face me. “Mackenzie, you know you are always welcome.”
I smiled. “Thanks.” Brad could always make me feel better with just a simple sentence. He was my confidant, and basically, my and Harley’s savior. I had a deep love for him.
“Where do you two pretty ladies want to go?”
“Anywhere,” I replied as Miranda said, “Pasta House. I want lasagna.”
I shrugged. “Fine with me.” Brad nodded and pulled away, but not before catching my eye in the rearview mirror. He knew something was wrong.
“How was class, beautiful?” he asked Miranda, and I checked out. They hadn’t been dating long, but I knew they were it for each other. They were both blissfully happy, and neither of them felt beholden to the other.
I was so gone in my thoughts, I didn’t even realize we had parked until Brad opened my door with a raised brow. “You coming?”
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I said, “Sorry. I’m just spacey today.”
“You will tell me what’s wrong. You know that, right?”
I nodded. “I know. But I
“Babe, I’ll pick her up. I have one class today and I’m only going to stop by his place for an hour or so.”
“Okay,” I replied, then kissed Harley before walking into the living room to grab my bag. “I’ll see you tonight.” I knew it wasn’t fair, he deserved to hang out with his friends, but I couldn’t help the tightness in my chest.
“Are you not going to tell me goodbye?” Hayes asked, spinning me around. “I won’t push you to tell me what’s wrong, but you better at least give me a kiss.”
I smiled weakly, then placed a kiss on his lips. “Sorry,” I whispered. “I’m not sure what’s wrong with me.”
Hayes smashed his lips against mine, giving me a hard, lingering kiss before pulling back. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said before opening the door and leaving.
***
Heading to the union after leaving my second class of the day, my cell began ringing.
I smiled at Miranda’s name on the screen. “Hey.”
“Hey, isn’t today when you have that big gap between your second and third class?”
“Yeah,” I replied, weaving in and out of people walking along the sidewalk.
“Brad and I were wondering if you’d like to come have lunch with us. He’s picking me up in front of the union.”
“Yes. I was on my way there anyway. I’ll see you in a minute.”
“Great. I’ll be waiting.”
We disconnected and I couldn’t help the sudden pep in my step. Maybe having lunch with my two best friends was exactly what I needed.
I picked up my pace, walking as fast as I could until I reached the front of the building. Miranda’s long blonde hair waved in the wind, making her easy to spot.
“Hey, you,” I said, coming to stand beside her and placing my arm around her.
“I have missed you,” she replied, wrapping her arms around me. Miranda was my very best friend, aside from her boyfriend and my adoptive brother, Brad. And, of course, Hayes.
“You just saw me like three days ago.”
“I know, but I still missed you.” She looked down the street. “Brad should be here any minute.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and tried to relax. I had no idea what had me all messed up inside, but I needed to get it under control. I knew Hayes loved me, and I knew he loved Harley. Maybe it was our impending trip back to Maverick and knowing I’d be there for more than a couple days. Running into my parents was a high possibility…if they still lived there. I was sure Hayes’ parents knew, but I never asked. I didn’t really want to know.
“Here he comes,” Miranda said, stepping closer to the street.
I glanced up and saw Brad’s big black truck pulling up in front of us. I walked closer and opened the back door, pulling myself up and in. “Hi,” I said. “I hope you don’t mind me crashing your lunch date.”
Brad gave Miranda a peck on the lips before turning to face me. “Mackenzie, you know you are always welcome.”
I smiled. “Thanks.” Brad could always make me feel better with just a simple sentence. He was my confidant, and basically, my and Harley’s savior. I had a deep love for him.
“Where do you two pretty ladies want to go?”
“Anywhere,” I replied as Miranda said, “Pasta House. I want lasagna.”
I shrugged. “Fine with me.” Brad nodded and pulled away, but not before catching my eye in the rearview mirror. He knew something was wrong.
“How was class, beautiful?” he asked Miranda, and I checked out. They hadn’t been dating long, but I knew they were it for each other. They were both blissfully happy, and neither of them felt beholden to the other.
I was so gone in my thoughts, I didn’t even realize we had parked until Brad opened my door with a raised brow. “You coming?”
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I said, “Sorry. I’m just spacey today.”
“You will tell me what’s wrong. You know that, right?”
I nodded. “I know. But I
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