Page 62 of The Goal

Me: Package is the right word. A really big package ;)

Okay, so I’m laying it on pretty thick, but damn, I miss this girl. I haven’t seen her in a week, which is about, oh, seven days too long. Since our double date last month, we’ve tried to see each other at least two or three times a week. With our hectic schedules, it’s a miracle we’ve managed to find the time, so it was bound to happen that our schedules would catch up to us.

These past two weeks, we’ve both been busy with school. I’ve had some brutal practices and games, and then Thanksgiving rolled around and I’d already committed to spending the holiday with Hollis and his family. I was tempted to bail and see Sabrina instead, but she was working and admitted she’d rather I didn’t hang around at the strip club while she waited tables. Apparently Boots & Chutes is Bummer Central during holidays.

I’m dying to see her, so when I read her next message, I do a mental fist pump.

Her: If you don’t mind the drive, come to Boston tonight? Working on my Con Law paper, but I can take a bunch of breaks if you wanna keep me company.

I don’t even hesitate.

Me: On my way.

I already showered and changed in anticipation of possibly seeing her tonight. I hurry downstairs, hoping to slip out of the house unnoticed.

“Tuck, get in here! We need a grown-up’s opinion.”

Damn. So close.

I follow Garrett’s voice to the living room, where I find him and Hannah on the armchair. She’s in his lap, he’s got his arms around her, and they look so happy and at ease that I feel a pang of envy. They’re not alone, though. Logan, Fitzy, and Logan’s friend Morris are on the couch, video game controllers in their hands. The first-person shooting game they’re playing is paused on the flat-screen TV.

“What’s up?” I try to hide my impatience. “I’m on my way out.”

From the couch, Logan arches a brow. “You’ve been on your way out a lot lately.”

I shrug. “Places to go, people to see.”

“Are you ever going to tell us her name?” Hannah asks in a cheerful voice.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I reply innocently.

Garrett waves a hand. “I don’t care about Tuck’s mystery girl right now. I need someone to back me up—pronto.”

I grin. “Back you up on what?”

“Dean and Allie.”

Ah. I was wondering when we’d be having this powwow. We all came back from our various Thanksgiving trips to discover that Dean and Allie are officially a couple.

I wasn’t surprised to hear it, because I already suspected they’d hookedup, but I am a bit stunned that they’re actually going out. Dean hasn’t had a girlfriend since I’ve known him.

“Apparently I’m the only one who thinks this is the worst fucking idea since horses,” Garrett says irritably.

“Horses?” Logan and Fitzy echo in unison.

“Like, horses in general?” Morris asks in confusion.

“As in, domesticating them,” he grumbles. “They belong in the wild. End of story.”

“Babe,” Hannah hedges in, “are you just saying that because you’re scared of horses?”

His jaw drops. “I’m not scared of horses.”

She ignores the denial. “Oh my God, it’s all coming together. That’s why you wouldn’t go to the Thanksgiving fair in Philly.” She glances at the rest of us. “My aunt and uncle wanted to take us to this festival thing with all these cool booths and a petting zoo…and horseback riding. He said hisstomach hurt.”

Garrett visibly clenches his teeth. “My stomachdidhurt. I ate too much fucking turkey, Wellsy. Anyway, I don’t like this. I’m going to be so screwed when they break up.”

“They might not break up,” she points out.

---