WHEN I HEAR the front door slam, I drop back onto the bed and groan. That conversation went better than I expected. I know I shouldn’t have just taken off like that, but when I woke up this morning, his arms were locked around me and my heart leapt into my throat. I went into this with eyes wide open, but that feeling of completeness waking up in his arms, that’s bad news. That’s more than a broken heart; that’s soul-deep pain that I’m not sure I could come back from.
When I called Maggie at six this morning, she didn’t hesitate when I asked her to leave her warm bed to come pick up me. To my surprise, she didn’t badger me for details either. I think that comes from our lifelong friendship. She knows me well enough to know I need to sort shit out in my head first.
When we finally got home, she told me that Zane and the guys were taking the Jeeps out and he’d asked if we wanted to go. She had already told him that we would be there. It was the exact distraction that I needed.
“Incoming,” Maggie yells through my door before she peeks in. “Hey, you okay?”
Throwing my hands over my eyes, I groan. “Yeah.”
“Let’s try this again,” she says, lying down next to me. “You okay?”
“No. Yes. Hell, I don’t really know.”
“What happened?”
“It’s stupid,” I admit.
“I want to hear it anyway.”
“We went back to his place, and things got . . . heated.” Maggie giggles and I elbow her. “Anyway, he carried me to his bed and I fell asleep. I woke up to him holding me and I freaked.”
“Too much?”
“Yes and no. I mean, yes because I could feel myself falling, but no because it was . . . comforting to wake up wrapped in him. I knew I had to put some distance between us. I can’t let myself fall into the ‘couple’ thing I need to just focus on the sex part of this agreement. That’s what it’s supposed to be.”
“The heart wants what the heart wants.”
“So, who all is going today?” I ask, changing the subject.
“You and I are with Barry in his Jeep. Matt’s going to be with us.”
“Hmmm, you going to make your move?” She’s been crushing on Matt for a couple of years now.
“Doubtful.” She sits up. “Anyway, Zane is coming and a few others. I didn’t catch it all, just that it’s going to be a big group.”
“It’s been forever since we’ve tagged along.”
“I know, that’s what Barry said too. Thankfully, I had agreed before I knew Matt was coming. Barry doesn’t have that to tease me about relentlessly.”
“Good call. What time are we leaving?”
“Around eleven thirty. We have to stop and get some ice for the cooler, drinks and food, that kind of thing.”
Glancing at the clock, I see it’s almost ten. “I need to get in gear.” Maggie gives me a big hug, then leaves me to get ready.
I decide on a pair of old ripped jeans and one of Barry’s hoodies that I stole from him freshman year. Mentally I know Crew won’t see it, but inside it’s my way of defying what he wants. I’m not his. We have an arrangement, nothing more. Wearing the sweatshirt is just a testament of that.
Forgoing makeup, I pile my curls in a knot on top of my head, grab my old mud boots, socks and my sunglasses, and I’m good to go.
“Great minds think alike.” Maggie laughs as I walk into the kitchen. She’s dressed the exact same way, old hoodie and all.
“I swear the two of you share a brain. I remember those.” He points between the two of us and we laugh. “You girls ready to go?”
“Yep,” we say at the same time.
Barry just smiles and shakes his head. “I’ve got the Jeep loaded. I threw the chairs in the back, and we’ll stop to get the food. You got what you need?”
“Yep,” we say again.
“Let’s roll.” Barry grabs his travel mug of coffee and heads outside. Maggie and I get our phones and follow.
“Let’s divide and conquer,” Maggie suggests once we reach the store. “Barry, you grab the ice and drinks, and we’ll take care of the food.”
“Anything special you want?” I ask him.
“Nah, I’ll eat anything. Just grab enough for Matt too. You know how we all share once we get there.”
“We got this,” Maggie says, hopping out of the truck. I slide across the seat and follow after her.
By the time Maggie and I reach the checkout, our cart is full. We both just shrug; we know how these guys eat. Back at the truck, Barry is leaning against the bed on his phone.
“All right, man, be there in ten.” He grabs the bags and places them in the bed of the truck. “That was Matt. His truck won’t start. He thinks it’s the battery. I told him I would swing by and pick him up.”
“You have a standard cab,” Maggie reminds him.
“One of you is just going to have to take one for the team and sit on his lap. It’s not a far drive, and it’s back roads to Aunt Jenny’s and Uncle Jeff’s.”
Maggie sighs loudly. “I mean, it’s going to be a hardship.” She raises her hand trying to look put out. “I guess I’ll take one for the team.”
I can’t keep the laughter in.
“That’s big of you, Mags.” Barry rolls his eyes.
“Hey, I’m all about being a team player.” She winks.
The ride to Matt’s is short, just long enough for Maggie and me to sing along with Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer.” The windows are down, and Matt’s laughing when we pull up. He throws a bag into the back of the truck and opens the door.
“This day just got a whole hell of a lot better.” He grins when he sees Mags and me.
“Let me out so you can scoot in,” I tell him. My face is serious.
“Wait, what?” he asks, and Barry roars with laughter.
“She’s fucking with you. Mags is on your lap for the ride.”
“I have two knees,” Matt says to me with a flirty grin.
“Don’t let Ledger hear you say that.”
“No! Really?” Matt asks.
“No, really what?” I look from one to the other, trying to figure out what I missed.
“Apparently,” Barry says.
“Well damn,” Matt retorts.
“What?” I say, louder than I should.
“You and Crew?”
I feel my face heat. “No, not me and Crew. We work together.”
“Uh-huh.” Barry laughs. “Is that why he stormed into our condo this morning looking for you?”
“A concerned employer,” Maggie adds, trying to be helpful. It’s no use; they see right through it.
“Why the big deal, anyway?” I ask.
“Just shocked is all. He’s not one known to stake his claim,” Matt tells me.
“He has no claim.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“Right,” the three of them say in unison. I don’t bother correcting them. She who protests too much and all that.
Reaching over, I turn up the radio and Maggie gets the hint. We sing along, urging Barry and Matt to join us. When we reach Zane’s parents’ house, there are already a few trucks there, and excitement races through me.
Maggie starts singing “The Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing. I chime in and we get all dramatic about it. The guys are laughing and join us for the chorus. Matt hops out of the truck, more stealth than I would have thought possible with Maggie on his lap, then grabs her hips and lifts her in the air.
“We can’t let them show us up.” Barry laughs, hopping out of the truck. I scoot over and he grabs me, holding me in the air.
I’m laughing so hard he has to put me down. I fall into him and he hugs me.
“Berklee.”