Page 46 of The Probability of Us

I bury my face in his chest to hide the dark red spreading across my face, but I hold him closer to me than he was before, and I hold him like that until it’s time to go.

“So, what’s the gang up to tomorrow?” Warren asks before we all part.

“We’ll be helping Sterling and Will finish setting up for the party on Sunday,” Ali says about her and Trent.

“Party?” He looks intrigued.

“Their engagement party is on Sunday,” I say, turning towards him. “I guess now’s as good a time as any to ask if you’d like to be my plus one.”

He smiles. “Of course! I can’t wait to meet Will.” But then he realizes something. “Are you not helping them set up tomorrow?” he asks me.

“No.” I shake my head. “Sterling and Will were kind enough to plan their party on Sunday because I have an errand to run tomorrow that will take all day.”

His face falls in disappointment and I can hear Ali’s repressed laughter as I add, “You’re more than welcome to come with me if you don’t have anywhere else you have to be.”

I wasn’t sure how to get him to come with me for this, but I’ve been looking for a way since we talked on Wednesday about how he hasn’t been to visit his mom in a while.

“There’s nowhere else I’d want to be.” He smiles, but he has no idea what he just got himself into.

Seventeen

AUGUST CURRENT DAY (SATURDAY)

“Where are we going so early?” Warren yawns as we get into my car.

After we left the bar last night, we stopped at the hotel to grab some of his stuff and then he spent the night at my place. We got very little sleep, but with how far we have to drive today, it has to be an early start.

“And when did you have time to make those?” He gestures to the strawberry yogurt muffins I packed safely into the back seat. When I pulled them out of the fridge he tried to grab one and I swatted his hand away, enjoying the tired, pouty face he made. He keeps eyeing them, but I made them specifically for the person we’re going to see. He’ll have to wait too.

I laugh. “You know I bake when I have a lot on my mind, and Thursday night I hada lotto think about.”

“Well, if what happened yesterday is the result of your thinking, maybe you should do it more often.” He reaches over to grab my chin and turns my face to look at him before I can put the car in gear. My eyes meet his just before he kisses me.

When he pulls away, I pull him back for another. “One for the road,” I whisper, and he laughs.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” he asks as I pull out of the parking garage below my building. I don’t use my car often since I can walk to work, but it’s convenient to have on days like this.

“Nope.”

When I stop the car in front of Lola’s a few minutes later, his confusion only rises.

“Just wait here.” I smile as I leave the car running to pop inside.

It’s earlier than Lola’s is usually open, but today she’s up waiting for me.

“Oh, Analise.” Lola walks out from the back with a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips tied together with a white ribbon. “How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well, Lola,” I say, taking the flowers. I wonder if he’ll figure it out just from these. He might, but I don’t think he’ll ever expect that it’s the truth . . . at least, until we get to Boston. “It’s been easier this year.”

She looks out the window and smiles at the car. “Because Warren’s back?”

“I heard you gave him quite the welcome home party.” I laugh when her smile grows. “Thanks for that by the way. It made my day when I heard.”

Her raspy laugh fills the space and she pats my arm. “He deserved something thrown at him, and I knew you weren’t going to do it.”

“If words count, I’ve thrown a lot of those at him.”

“Your body counts too.” She looks at me with raised brows and I look away as my cheeks heat. “I always knew you two would end up together.”

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