Page 83 of Dear Future Husband: You're My End Game

“Thank you, Noah. I’m happy I’m here too.” Maybelle said softly, sobered by the serious tension of his words.

She placed her hand on his forearm giving it a quick comforting squeeze. The silence that carried for the next moment was light, comfortable but the sound of a motorcycle engine rolling in shattered it.

Williams’s head fell back as he groaned.

Daniel Aguilar had arrived.

Maybelle smiled, “Daniel is really nice. You should try getting to know him.” Granted she had only spoken to the quiet man twice.

The first time was at the game when Penny had introduced them and the second when Maybelle and Penny Face Timed one night so Penny could help her apply for financial aid. He was on the phone with Penny and even then, he had only said “Hi” and a final “Bye” to Maybelle as they hung up the call.

But Maybelle had come to recognize from what she saw and through Penny’s stories that what Daniel didn’t say with his words he made up for with his actions. She had seen at the game that he barely spoke, only listened intently to Penny’s ramblings, never looking bored or exhausted with her.

And while she spoke, he always kept constant contact with her, like a protective hand on her leg, or an arm around her shoulders, like if he were to let go, she'd vanish or forget he was there.

Then on the video call he never looked at the screen while Maybelle spoke, his eyes remained trained on the redhead, wholly enthralled with her every word and every movement.

Williams side eyed her, “I know he’s nice, Mason,” his jeering tone scoffing, “that is the problem. He is my competition; I can’t like the guy.”

“Well, have you tried talking to Penny about how you feel?” Maybelle inquired.

Williams heaved a strained sigh, “I tried after the game. I guess there isn’t really a competition. She’s pretty smitten with that guy.”

Maybelle felt bad she couldn’t encourage her friend to keep trying, or say he had any chance because as great as he was and would absolutely treat Penny with all the love and respect, she deserved, anyone with a pair of eyes could see that Penny and Danny were it. Pinterest perfect couple, totally and utterly infatuated with one another.

“Chin up, Williams, you’re awesome and I know you will find someone just as great.” Williams’s fallen face didn’t change but he nodded moving onto a box containing her bedding.

“So, what’s the deal between you and Turner?” Williams asked. Maybelle’s accusatory eyes narrowed at him, “Nice subject change.” He only shrugged and waited for a response.

“There’s no deal. We are friends and that is all.” She informed simply, busying herself with hanging her shirts up in the closet.

“Friends?” Williams barked, “I highly doubt that will last long.”

Maybelle paused mid-fold of a shirt and shot Williams the most threatening glower she could muster but he wasn’t looking at her. She followed his gaze to Trey’s football jersey that poked out under a few other shirts.

Well eff, she definitely forgot to give that back… Or may have just forgot to hide it a little better, either way, she was caught red handed by Noah Williams a second time.

A nervous feigned giggle escaped Maybelle, “Weird, how’d that get there?” She leaned across the clothing, plucked up the jersey and tossed it under her bed, returning back to folding and hanging up the rest of her clothing while Williams sniggered, shaking his head at her.

“You’re such a weirdo, Mason.”

When Maybelle didn’t answer but her deep red blush was enough indication of how she felt, Williams spoke again.

“Are you playing friends because of what we saw between him and Juliette?” Williams approached, leaning a broad shoulder against the wall next to her.

“That and I think you all forget that I am new here.” Maybelle bit out, her embarrassment feeding into her tone with more harshness than she had meant, “You all may know me, but I don’t know you. I barely know myself. I think I have a lotto learn before anything can really happen between Trey and I again.”

Williams continued to stare at the side of her face, crossing his arms over his bare chest, “Ok, you have a point.” He conceded, “But funny thing is, none of us actually know you either.”

Maybelle jerked her attention to him, “Wait, really?”

Williams snorted at her surprise and nodded.

“Yeah, we all knew Liam really well. You and I, I think, had only spoken twice before the accident. I believe you met Penny once before and Trey was close with your family, but I don’t think y’all talked at all until that last week of your senior year.”

Maybelle bit the inside of her cheek, considering this before she replied, “Well kudos to you guys because I never would have guessed. I thought for sure we had all been at least buddies before, considering how welcoming everyone had been.”

“You were super quiet, hard to get to know or even talk to kind of quiet. Before, it made no sense to me that you and Liam were siblings let alone twins, except for the same hair and all that, of course, but now…” Williams paused, looking like he might be stumbling over his emotions, “I meant what I said earlier, it really is like having Liam back, you’re super easy to be friends with. The only difference is, you are a lot more enjoyable to look at for sure.”

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