Page 136 of A Little Complicated

Finley and Dylan exchange glances, and both zip their lips like Finley did moments ago.

With a sigh, I admit, “Okay. So…Mystery Man is… Damn, I can’t even say it.” I suck my lips between my teeth and take a deep breath in through my nose. “Mystery Man is”—I cringe—“Maverick.”

Gasps ensue, and they cover their mouths, their eyes practically jumping out of their skulls as they stare at me, speechless.

I curl a few more inches into the cushions while praying they swallow me whole and grumble, “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what? Like you’ve been keeping a beyond massive secret from us?” Finley offers.

“Yeah, I know. And I wanted to tell you,” I add, propping my feet onto one of the cardboard boxes labeled “girly stuff” in pink, glittery Sharpie marker I assume belongs to Fin. “It’s just…at first, it was casual. And when things started feeling a little more serious, I was the one who wanted to keep it a secret, and Mav was the one twisting my arm, begging me to tell everyone we were seeing each other. Then prom happened, and we broke up, and I didn’t think his identity mattered anymore.” I take a deep breath, forcing myself to lay out the entire scenario in all its fucked-up glory. “Until I broke up with Archer, started hooking up with his twin brother—again—and told Archer about it because, let’s be honest, it was way past due.”

There. Now it’s all out in the open.

“Wait,” Dylan interjects. “Archer knew about Mystery Man, right?”

I nod. “Yeah, why?”

“Does he know Mystery Man isMaverick?” Finley prods.

I shake my head.

“So he thinks you’re hung up ontwoguys?” Dylan demands.

Yeah, that makes it feel even worse.

“Maybe?” I hesitate. “Probably.Honestly, I’m not one hundred percent sure what’s going through Archer’s head. We aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.”

“Duh,” Finley replies. “Why didn’t you tell him Maverick’s your Mystery Man?”

“I don’t know?” My head falls in my hands as another wave of shame rolls through me. “I felt like I was going to puke, and honestly, I was just trying to get everything over with as quickly as possible. I also didn’t want to hurt him any more than I already had, and—”

“Pretty sure that ship has already sailed,” Finley interrupts.

“Yeah, no shit,” I mutter, puffing my cheeks out and dropping my hands to my lap. “I know it’s messy, and I know I screwed up. Maverick suggested we come to a game night next weekend to kind of air everything out, and even though it sounds terrifying, I think it’s a good idea to see Archer before family brunch. What do you guys think?”

“I think it’s probably a smart idea, but does this mean you and Maverick are still together?” Dylan asks.

I chew on the inside of my cheek, offering a shrug. “Honestly, I don’t know. After I broke up with Archer, Mav and I agreed to hook up without any labels and not to make it anything serious. But after seeing the repercussions and how much it’s potentially hurting those around us, I’ve realized if he isn’t interested in an actual relationship, I’m out.”

“Damn,” Dylan mutters.

Finley adds, “Good for you.”

“Yeah.” I offer a sad smile. “I also told him to be patient until I could figure out what’s going on with Archer. He agreed it’s probably a smart idea and promised to keep his distance this week until the party. He wants to talk afterward.”

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” Dylan prods.

“I dunno.” I shrug. “ I’m kind of terrified to hear what he has to say.”

Finley eyes me warily. “Why are you so scared to talk to him?”

Giving up, I stare at the ceiling. “Because if I do, I’ll have to ask why he broke up with me.”

Dylan frowns. “Don’t you want to know?”

“Of course, I want to know.”

“So, why haven’t you asked him?”

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