Page 71 of Shutout
And because it’s Maddie, who is sweeter than sugar itself, and not because it’s one of my evil relatives commanding it, Idrag my feet over to sit next to her and I give them the gist of it. No one’s shocked when I admit to my feelings for him. There’s a bigger reaction when I finally fess up to why he didn’t come for Thanksgiving last year. And complete outrage when I tell them my feelings are one-sided.
“One-sided my ass!” Luz throws her head back and laugh. “Aran and I have a running bet since you were in middle school about whether the two of you had hooked up or not.”
Mom gives her a warning glance. “And what exactly does hooking up mean?”
My face flames up. Luckily, Mom’s attention is on my sister. “Erm, kissing. Getting together as a couple.” We all leave the possibility of sex out of this conversation. Not that it’s even relevant.
“So, uh. What are the bet’s terms?”
“Aran bet that you’re never hooking up.” She grins at the way I grow visibly grouchy. “And I bet that you’re definitely hooking up at some point. Who’s winning?”
All three of them lean forward.
I place the book on my lap, running my fingers across the title. That’s when I notice that the hero’s illustration is a tall blond. And the heroine is a brunette with mid-brown skin tone. Even though her hair’s long, she looks a lot like me.
I give Maddie a side eye. “Wait, Kent… like a place. And Ophelia, which is a similar name to Olivia?”
Maddie nudges me with her shoulder. “Ophelia will get her happily ever after. How about you?”
“We kissed once,” I blurt out, and before they can even react, I also add, “But that’s it. He hasn’t even tried to kiss me again.”
Mom’s hands are on her chest, but she’s not even mad that her little girl’s up to no bueno. Meanwhile, my sister slaps her thighs. “But what about you? Haveyoutried to kiss him again?”
“Of course not.” I sink back into the couch. “We’re just hanging out again. The kiss was a fluke.”
“I don’t think so. The boy doesn’t tear his eyes from you.” Maddie shrugs.
“He’snevertorn his eyes from you.” Luz’s widen, as if she was trying to pass along a telepathic message.
In turn, I roll mine. “What are you talking about? He had a crush on you and then on a million girls but me after that.”
“Whatever.” Luz waves her hand. “That all was before he knew himself. I’m telling you he’s looking at you like he wants to eat you up now.”
“No sex,” Mom says right then. “Not before marriage.”
Maddie and Luz stay uncharacteristically quiet. Then again, so am I. Even if the sky turned green and the grass blue, and Brooke and I hooked up in the not-safe-for-work definition of the word, he wouldn’t be my first. That honor was wasted on my gross ex—ugh, I best not think about that.
“Anyway, I think you really have a chance now.” Maddie reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Don’t be a fool like your brother who almost wasted ours.”
My mom and sister nod. The three of them are dead set on the same opinion, which is a feat from three headstrong women.
I’m a headstrong girl too, but maybe right now I’m being stubborn in a bad way. A ray of warmth pierces through my chest, and I don’t dare to breathe in case it expands everywhere. I know it’s hope, and hope is scary for someone who isn’t used to allowing it in her life.
After biting my lip, I ask, “Okay, so what should I do?”
CHAPTER 25
BROOKLYN
The Rodriguez family Thanksgiving feels like a distant dream, with its flavorful food, pregnancy announcements—there’s a mini Aran coming into the world; thankfully he or she will share half of Maddie—and a generally chaotic, but cozy feeling I starkly missed last year.
Now, Olivia and I stand in front of the front door to my dad’s house, and nervous energy’s coursing through my body again. I’ve rolled my shoulders enough that they still shouldn’t feel so tight, and I’ve shaken my hands enough that now they tingle.
But then Liv snatches the one closest to her and clasps it so tight, I couldn’t possibly move it again. “It’s going to be fine. You’re not alone.”
Soon, I’m going to tell her how much I love her for it. I’m still in the planning phase as to how, but it’s happening.
For now, I just need to survive Thanksgiving dinner at the Tatum household. “Thank you,” I tell her. “For being here.”
