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Carter’s laugh is deep and wonderful, and I want to hear it next to me. In this car with me, where I can melt against him. “Let’s not do that.”

I pout, not wanting to wait the weeks it’ll take before we can see one another again. “Well, how long are you going to make me wait, Carter? I’m not sure how patient I can be.”

“I’ll be there in the morning.”

“What?” The word is breathless around a grin so wide my cheeks hurt. “Since when?”

“Since my best friend told me the girl I like is ending things with her dick boyfriend and might need a friend.”

The giddy giggle escapes now. “You’re making it sound so high school.”

“That’s not always a bad thing. Do you think you can wait? Tell me whatever you wanted to say tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” I promise, unable to dampen my grin. “I can tell you tomorrow.”

“You should get back to Columbia,” he advises, not making a move to end the call. “Let me know when you get home safe?”

“Sure.”

Neither of us makes a move to end the call, though. We both just sit there for a moment staring at each other. Eventually, my stomach lets out a growl that even he can hear. We both dissolve into a fit of laughter before I reluctantly agree I need to get food and head back, ending the call. If I drive back to Columbia with the cheesiest of love songs blaring through my speakers, that’s no one’s business but my own.

March2024

I was going to be patient.

I was going to wait until Kat and I could have a real moment together. Where we could talk about what’s happening between us. I would not rush to her door as soon as I pulled into town. I was going to wait and do this right, maybe take her out to dinner or to get coffee or drinks.

I had a plan.

A plan that did not include showing up at her door instead of going straight to Bryce and Josie’s; but what can I do? Sometimes life has a different plan than the ones we create, and you have to just go with it. See where the road takes you.

She must have seen me pull into the driveway because she’s standing in the open doorway when I reach the porch. She’s dressed casually in a gray T-shirt and black joggers that look soft. Her hair is down and she’s staring at me shyly, biting the corner of her bottom lip. I want to free it and soothe any lingering pain with soft kisses.

“I thought you were going to Bryce and Josie’s place first and we’d catch up later.”

I shrug, coming to a stop at the porch. “I was, but there’s this person I kind of can’t stop thinking about.”

Her cheeks flush a light pink as she leans against the doorframe. “Oh, yeah?”

I grin, stuffing my hands in my pockets to keep myself from reaching out to her. “Yeah. She said something yesterday about wanting to tell me how she feels. I didn’t want to wait any longer, so I went straight to her.”

“I don’t know what to say, Carter.”

My smile dampens slightly, worried she’s changed her mind in such a short time. That’s part of why I did it, though. Why I told her to wait until we could see one another in person. I know she’s over him and ready to move on, but I want to give her the chance to make sure I’m what she wants. If she wants to be single for a while, that’s fine. No matter what, this needs to be up to her.

“You don’t have to say anything,” I assure her. I’m fully ready to turn around and walk back to my car, pretending this never happened. “We can forget the call yesterday and just stay friends. No hard feelings.”

She’s frowning now. “Is that what you want? Are you having second thoughts?”

“No, of course not!” I’m more confused by her confusion. “You are, though. Right?”

“No!” She gapes up at me, pushing off the door to stand up straighter. “What would make you think that?”

“You said you don’t know what to say! What am I supposed to think that means?”

“Not that I don’t want to be with you!”

Sighing, I reach up to comb my fingers through my hair, probably making it more of a knotted mess than it already is, but I don’t care. I take a deep breath before I turn back to Kat. “We’re doing a horrible job at this. Should we start again?”