Page 169 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

Chance

I promise you that shower wank isn’t nearly as good as what’s waiting for you out here.

What doesthatmean? I’m about to text back and ask him when I turn the corner and spot my friends waiting by the designated area for family and friends.

The first person I see is Lacey’s friend Dia. She and Finn are congratulating Xavier, who scored most of the game’s shots, as always. His girlfriend, Aveena, has her arm looped with his. Then I see Chance, Bethany, and Theo talking by the water fountain.

No sign of Lacey.

My heart sinks like a rock.

“Are you a basketball hoop? Because I’m trying to shoot my shot with you.”

I stop dead, her voice leaving me breathless. I spin so fast I get a little light-headed. I blink at her for a few seconds, as though I’m not entirely sure if she’s real and not a mirage.

She lets out a nervous chuckle when she takes a look at my face. “You caught me. I totally just looked uppickup lines to tell a basketball player.”

I’m stunned, just staring at her in disbelief.

My silence seems to worry her because she clears her throat. “Wow, that was super cheesy, I’m sorry. It sounded a lot funnier in my head.”

Just fucking speak, TJ.

She swallows hard. “I… You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here. I didn’t mean to intrude, but the guys said it wasokay if I tagged along to see you after the game, and I… I just wanted to talk to you about your letter.”

She’s so pretty. Jesus. She’s wearing that sundress I love. The one I nearly tore to pieces that time we hooked up in the tool shed.

“Look, I know things have been messy lately, but I’ve been thinking, maybe that’s just life. Maybe being messy isn’t a big deal as long as we’re willing to clean up the mess together, you know? And yeah, it won’t be easy, but I don’t mind working on this because I think we’re worth it. And a little mess never hurt anyone. Well, technically, I have no idea if that’s true; for all I know, messes do hurt people, but you get what I’m saying. I want to make this work, TJ. I want your mess to be my mess and for our messes to combine and then?—”

“Lacey?” I breathe out.

“Yeah?”

My grin deepens. “You’re rambling.”

“I know, I’m sorry, it’s just?—”

“I love you,” I cut her off.

That ends her rambling in no time.

“I… I love you, too,” she chokes out.

“Good. Then it’s settled.”

My next move is a no-brainer. I don’t give her a chance to overthink this, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her close. Her entire body unwinds from the moment I seal her lips with mine, claiming her mouth for the first time in what feels like an eternity.

It takes her a few seconds to respond to my kiss, but as soon as she’s regained control of her body, she opens her mouth, allowing my tongue to find hers.

Our friends start cheering in the back, but we’re too wrapped up in the moment to acknowledge them. Lacey grips the fabricof my jacket into her fist, anchoring me into place as I pull her in even closer and kiss her until my lungs are begging for oxygen.

We only stop when it becomes clear we’re headed for suffocation, but we don’t separate right away, staring at each other like we’re the only two people here.

“What is?” she whispers once she’s caught her breath.

I run my thumb across her cheek. “What is what?”

She chuckles. “You said it’s settled. Before you kissed me. What’s settled?”

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