Page 36 of Six Wishes

“She is my best girl-friend,” Alison explains.

“What about Maci?” And I recognize that’s her sister’s name, the smutty romance writer, or so Chloe mentioned. She was actually with Alison when I first met her in the parking lot at Mud Duck’s. “I thought she wanted the title.”

“She is my best friend too,” Alison is starting to get aggravated from the looks of it. “I can have more than just one best friend, you know? It’s not illegal.”

They start a playful bicker which only gives me time to focus my eyes on Chloe. I wink at her and lift my arm up for her to come to me. She slides right underneath, and when she puts her head on my shoulder and sighs, I realize that I have never been more content than I am in this moment.

“You worked things out?” Chloe lifts herself up to kiss my cheek. I know it’s only been days, literally, but I am really on my way to falling in love with this girl.

I turn my head and give her a slow open-mouthed kiss, pulling back way before I am ready to stop it. “I think so,” I whisper against her lips.

“You two are just so cute together,” Alison interrupts our moment. It looks like she and Wyatt came to a truce over there. “I knew you would be from the moment I introduced you.” She waves a finger in front of her, pointing us to Wyatt. “I want full credit for this, Wy.”

“Who else is claiming credit, babe?” He just about rolls his eyes at her, and she is not impressed.

“In case anyone else attempts to, I just want it to be noted right here and now that this,” she moves her hands together toward us like she’s got an imaginary way of pushing our bodies together, “is happening because of me.”

“You got it,” Wyatt salutes her, and we all start laughing.

“Thank you, Ali,” I put my hand out to high five her, when I see Wyatt’s face. “I meant Alison. He is the only one allowed to call you anything other than.”

“You got that right,” Wyatt wraps his arms around Alison from behind and they sway side to side.

I am just about to make a sarcastic remark when the doorbell to Chloe’s front door echoes through the apartment and spills into the backyard through the open sliding door.

“You expecting anyone?” I raise my eyebrows in question just as Chloe dislodges herself from my side and rushes to open the door.

“No,” she calls over her shoulder. I decide to follow her inside just in case it is an unwanted visitor. I feel all kinds of overprotective over this girl. It is such a new feeling, I almost don’t know what to do with myself over it.

I am proud of her when she stops and looks through the peephole before undoing the locks.

“Oh, it’s Hunter,” her excited voice reaches me, so turn around to go back outside now that I know we don’t have a crazy intruder situation.

“Chlo,” her cousin’s voice sounds distraught and I pause, wondering if I should stay around and see what’s going on. “I’m so sorry to barge in. I didn’t know where to go. Brooke is not home, and I…”

“It’s totally fine,” Chloe’s soothing voice reassures her. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” she starts crying, and now I’m worried too, but I don’t make any move to announce my presence to her. It seems like I am meant to always intrude on Hunter’s private moments. Not by choice, let that be noted. “I thought I saw this guy who I used to know. It’s a really long story, and I don’t know… It brought back memories.” She sounds choked up to the point where she can barely speak.

“What guy?” Chloe sounds like she is ready for battle, soothing voice long gone. “Did he hurt you?”

I continue to listen in but all I hear is Hunter crying her heart out. It seems like she needs time to process whatever is going on with her.

“He didn’t hurt me,” she sobs, and the words sound muffled, like she’s got her hands over her face. “He wouldn’t ever hurt me,” she cries some more.

“Then what is it? I don’t understand.” Same, Chlo, same, I think to myself.

“It’s me… It’s all me,” Hunter seems to be inconsolable. “I’m the one who hurt him. Zach.”

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