Page 26 of I Choose You

“Deal. Don’t be mad at me if it melts before you get it, though. I can put snow in a box and mail it, but I can’t control global warming.”

My reply is sarcastic. “How could I ever be mad at you?”

When a quiet giggle leaves her, I grin like I’ve just won a prize. The sound is melodic, unforgettable, and pleasing to my ears. I toss the remaining crust onto my plate and reach for the receipt when the server delivers it, knowing it’s the least I can do for arriving late.

We put our jackets on and brace ourselves for the crisp autumn air. The trees are half bare, and temperatures have dropped enough that bundling up is a requirement. Mackenzie holds the door open as we exit. The cool breeze nips at my exposed ears, making me wish I had grabbed my beanie from my desk drawer before I rushed out of the office.

Wanting a quick minute with her before we leave, I guide her to a less busy section of the sidewalk near the restaurant’s brick wall to say goodbye. A barrel of sentiment hits me. Gloom ripples through me that our lunch break is over. Gratitude for being able to spend it with my best friend. Longing for more time. Panic because while she’s here now, she won’t be when I leave.

The chilly breeze catches her cinnamon hair, tangling her bangs as they thrash wildly at her forehead. I lose sight of the brown honey and green in her gaze when she looks down to shield herself from the cold. I wish I could get lost in them. I want to forget about work and swim in the stickiness of her stare. Wish mesmerizing all the details about her I love was my job.

My voice softens. “Thank you for having lunch with me.”

A content smile traces her lips when she looks up. If she’s bothered about my move, she doesn’t show it. At least, not today. “I want to take advantage of the time we have left.”

My face softens, and I tug her into a tight hug. “Come here.”

When she falls into me, my strong arms ring around her. My hands lock together at the small of her back, and I squeeze. Her warmth cascades over me like a waterfall. I’m stuck in the Niagara Falls of Mackenzie Jones, and I never want to leave. Like the Earth welcomes rain sprinkling down on it, I collect as much of her body heat as I can, wishing I could save it for later when I’m missing it.

“It’s going to be so different with you gone,” she whispers into my chest.

My mouth does what it wants, pressing a kiss into her hair. I rest my chin on her head after. “I’m still here, right in front of you. I will be tomorrow and the day after that. So, enjoy what’s left of it with me, Kenz.”

She melts in my arms. Like the fool I am, I melt with her, dripping to the ground under the heat of the sun. Only she’s my sunlight in this scenario. Mackenzie Jones is the sun, the moon, the whole fucking solar system.

11

Mackenzie

The song’s bass pounds through the place, vibrating the walls of my heart. I found Mason packing for Texas yesterday. Broken down boxes stood next to his bedroom door as I made my way to my room for a change of clothes after a trip to the grocery store.

As if my heart wasn’t already distraught, those boxes put another crack in it. Worse when I found him in his room, Bluetooth speaker on and music playing as he gathered items from his bookshelf. The hopeful, excited expression on his face when I called out his name crushed me.

I follow Nelly through the crowd in the narrow hallway that leads to a bar and expansive dance area. It reminds me of the scene in 10 Things I Hate About You when Heath Ledger goes to that club to see Kat Stratford. The bar is in the back, the DJ booth front and center against the dancefloor.

Surprisingly enough, the beat of the music pushes away my worries. The frequency of the music helps me forget the ache sitting in the pit of my stomach. The feelings that have been ravishing my head.

So badly, I wish I could tell Mason to stay in Quaint. I wish it wouldn’t mean giving up the promotion of a lifetime for him. Then again, I wish his promotion didn’t require him to have to go. Even worse, I’m angry at myself for allowing certain feelings to creep into my heart. How did I get here?

When I saw those packing boxes, I decided the universe was out to get me. For some reason, it wants me to hurt. I’m almost certain that it’s laughing at me for not staying in control of, well, everything. I’d laugh at the irony if I weren’t so bothered about it.

Nelly drags me through the club, pulling me out of my head. “Slow down!” My hands pinch into her back and grasp her shoulders. She’s moving like a madwoman through the place. She’s been here before, she said, but I’m still trying to get a handle on my surroundings. I don’t want to get separated from her in fear it would take forever to find her again.

Her overpowering hairspray nearly gags me when she turns her head back and glances over her shoulder. “Just hang on for the ride!”

People cramp us on both sides. The DJ playing tonight is new but already extremely popular, judging by the crowd he attracts. I make a mental note to never come out on an opening night for new talent again—that is, if this ever happens again. If it weren’t for the music making me feel more alive than I have in days, I would head for the door with an excuse.

Cheers ensue as we break through the opening from the hallway into the club. Multi-colored lights flash against the walls, bouncing from one to the next. A blinding spotlight is on the DJ booth, which also sits high for the entire crowd to see and illuminates him. He brings a microphone to his mouth, says something, and the club roars.

We push through the crowd to make it to the bar, finding a spot near the end, the bathroom behind us. Nelly scoots up on a barstool, shifting higher and waving a hand to catch the bartender’s attention. I stand close by, deciding that I would rather keep my legs stretched after spending the week cooped up at my desk reading through applications from an event at the local mall that Jessie attended with information about the shelter.

It’s not long before an older guy with a beard asks for our order. He’s short but bulky, with broad shoulders and worry lines etched into his forehead. He works quickly, mixing a drink for Nelly and sliding a beer over the bar top for me.

“One night out with you, and it’s going to break the bank,” I joke, taking a pull of the golden liquid. I make decent money and share living expenses with Mason and Luke, but the drinks here are three times as much as at Jimmy’s Wings—and that’s after the cover charge we smacked into the bouncer’s greedy palm at the door. It’s clear this club prices their drinks to pay for the talent they bring in. It’s why we came, but it’s practically extortion.

Nelly sips at her vodka and cranberry juice, shouting over the music, “All we need to do is find a decent-looking guy, and he’ll take care of our drinks for us.”

My lips turn upward at her response. “Do you ever not try to find a man?”

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