Page 50 of The Perfect Love

“Love you, honey. Bye,” Mom says.

I hang up and toss my phone to the side, then flop against the mattress again, but I’m too awake now.

I sit up and stretch, then grab my phone again and check for any messages.

Any hint of the bad mood at having my dream ripped away vanishes when I see a text from Chelsea from late last night.

Chelsea: Thank you for today. I can’t wait to do it again.

With a smile, I go to her contact information, and maybe stupidly, pathetically, change it toDream Girl. Then I text her back.

Me: I’m already looking forward to it.

With that done, I climb out of bed and make my way downstairs, the same spring in my step as last night.

Unsurprisingly, most everyone is milling about the kitchen. From what I remember from visiting them over the years, weekend mornings are usually relaxed. Occasionally Rae will pick up a shift at Promise, Sarah will get caught up in nursing stuff, or Joel will go for a run, but otherwise, it’s low-key.

Except right now. Because they’re all staring at me like silent-as-the-grave pod people.

If I hadn’t had the best date of my life yesterday, I’d have assumed Hyla put them up to this with her scary movie thing. But no. This is the calm before the meddling storm.

I wonder if I can get in, get my coffee, and get out before—

“You look happy this morning,” Amanda says.

Here we go.

Aaron hands me a mug of coffee before I can get to the coffee maker, then Mackenzie appears in front of me with creamer.

“And you all seem preoccupied this morning.” I take a seat at the kitchen counter.

“We’re doing what we always do,” Miles says, looking over his shoulder. He’s at the stove cooking… something.

Then I notice him flip something.Pancakes.

“Standing around being creepy?” I ask, taking a sip of my coffee.

“Rude. I take offense to that. We’re never creepy. We’re just happy for you,” Rae says.

I look around at all of them. “Wait, I know people joke about this being some kind of cult, but—”

“People joke about that?” Joel asks.

“Mostly people we like,” Mackie says. “Nick and his friend group.”

“Like they’re any better!” Rae huffs. “Nicholas Asshole,” she grumbles under her breath.

I choke on my coffee. I forgot she calls him that. Takes me right back to high school and the two of us annoying the shit out of her in every class we had together.

Miles flips the burner off, plates up pancakes, then slides one in front of me.

“Tell them something about the date or they will never stop being weird.”

Truth.

“It was… good.” I dip my head to hide my smile and dig into my pancake.

“Bullshit!” Sarah says, hoisting herself onto the counter. “He told me last night howamazingit was.”

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