Page 129 of Let's Pretend I'm Okay

My heart skips, and my stomach fills with butterflies. I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but here he is—vulnerable and open.

I lean in and kiss his lips. “I like you,” I kiss him again, “and I love you.”

He puts an arm around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. We’re both content to sit here, waiting and enjoying the simple moment between us. Before I know it, I drift to sleep, dreaming of what our future could have been.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

DANIEL

I made it to the coffee shop long before Meghan. I didn’t want to be late so I took an early bus and waited for Margo to be dropped off. She got here about ten minutes after me.

Margo stands in line, looking at the menu board. “So what’ll it be? I’ll buy.”

There is no way I’m letting her buy me something. “I’m good.”

“Nope. Pick something. Anything. They have great hot cocoa here or you could get coffee.”

There’s something about her expression that tells me I’m not going to win. “You’re stubborn.”

“Caffeine or chocolate?”

“I don’t really like coffee.”

“Then hot cocoa it is,” she says.

“But you don’t need to buy it,” I say.

She waves that thought away and steps up to order. “We’d like one peppermint hot cocoa, and a small vanilla cold brew, blended. Oh, and lots of whipped cream on both.”

The barista smiles. “No problem. That’ll be ten dollars and sixty cents.”

I pull out cash and hand it to the cashier.

“Hey,” Margo says. “I told you I’d pay.”

“Too late,” I say, taking my change back with a smirk. “You can grab the drinks. I’ll get the table.”

Her mouth falls open, but nothing comes out. It’s like she doesn’t know how to react when I do something out of character.

I have to admit... it’s fun. I like how big her eyes get when she’s surprised. I love her eyes, period.

There aren’t that many tables to choose from. The place is pretty small, but I find a table near the windows that isn’t taken. I sit, waiting.

Margo comes over a minute later and sits across from me.

I reach for my drink, but she swats my hand away.

“What’s wrong?”

She tilts her head. “I told you I wanted to pay.”

I shrug, looking away. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Her eyes narrow. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“So you’re going to hold my drink hostage to make up for it?”

She sighs, moving my drink toward me. “I don’t know what to do with you half the time.”

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