Page 107 of It's in the Contract
“Oh, I just have to make one more stop.” I hurry over to a sign-up sheet on the wall and pull out my fluffy pink pen. I addmy name in big flourishing strokes so everyone will see it, right there at the bottom of the Mathlete sign-up sheet.
I cap my pen, replace it in my bag, and take a look at my handiwork. Pride flows through me, followed by a zing of excitement. I’m really doing this.
Zeke puts an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close to him. The intoxicating scent of cedar and cinnamon fills my nose. “You’re going to crush it!”
Suzy shakes her head. “You know I love you no matter what, right?”
I pull Suzy in with my other arm. “I know.”
“But I will never understand you two. Couple of nerds.”
I grin wider. “Just wait until we show you D&D.”
Forty-Five
I walk into Zeke’s house after school, and again, it feels the same, but different.
Zeke greets me at the door and literally sweeps me off my feet. I laugh and protest, but I secretly love it. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest, and I feel perfectly safe. This is where I belong.
Zeke carries me through the hallway into the kitchen. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you’re real,” he whispers into my ear.
Delicious heat creeps up my neck and into my cheeks. Though I do worry that Zeke holds me and reminds me of this consistently because he still has that fear, deep down, that eventually I’ll move on and forget about him.
I’m going to do everything in my power to show him that that won’t happen.
Zeke sets me back on my feet in the kitchen, and Mia dashes in from the living room and accosts me. “Sister evil unicorn!”
“Hello, sister evil unicorn,” I say, bending down to wrap her up in a hug. She smells like lavender bubble bath. Mia giggles and squirms until she’s free.
“Let’s go see that guinea pig of yours,” I say.
Mia pulls my hand and takes me up the stairs to her room. We enter a neon pink bedroom complete with a pink tent bedecked in fairy lights that is filled to the brim with fluffy unicorns of all shapes and sizes.
“Isn’t she spoiled?” Zeke says with a grin. “I tease Mama all the time that I never had that many stuffed animals growing up.”
“They’replushies,” Mia says firmly, crossing her little arms over her chest and looking indignant. “Plushies!” She goes on to tell me the names of all of her “plushies” before moving aside the blanket that’s covering the cage of her newest obsession.
“This is my guinea pig!” Mia exclaims.
I lift the little thing and hold him in my hands. He’s warm and soft, and his nose twitches, sniffing the air. “He’s beautiful, Mia. What did you name him?”
She beams. “Murderer!”
I choke back a laugh. “Murderer?”
I exchange a look with Zeke, and he laughs silently and shrugs.
“What an excellent name!” I replace Murderer, and we head downstairs to make some unicorn cookies. Zeke turns on “Butter” by BTS while Mia helps me carry flour and sugar and lots and lots of sprinkles. Our baking session is filled with tickles and giggles, both for Mia and for me. Zeke has found a weak spot in my side, and when he tickles me there, I dissolve into a pile on the floor and soon he joins me. Laying there next to each other on the hardwood floor, covered in flour and nonpareils, might be the most romantic thing in the world.
Zeke looks into my eyes, and he interlaces his flour-covered fingers with mine. He leans forward for a perfect, soft kiss.
Caroline getshome as we’re pulling the cookies out of the oven. “Hey, party people! How are we doing?”
“Mama!” Mia scrambles off of her chair and runs to throw her arms around her mama. I set the tray of cookies on top of the oven and take Zeke’s hand. Caroline sees Zeke’s fingers interlaced with mine, and she beams.
“Mama, we have something to tell you.” Zeke grins.
“Oh, it’s about time, you two!” She sets down her groceries and runs up to give us a hug that takes my breath away. I squeeze her just as tight. I feel so lucky to have found these people, this magical family, and even an evil unicorn little sister.
