Page 60 of Dear Future Husband

Right?

“I cannot believe you read my journal. The journal I wrote for my husband,” she hiccupped through her belly laughs.

I stared after her, intensely watching the way her smile revealed the ghost of a hidden dimple on the right sideof her mouth.

When Maybelle smiled, it wasn’t just with her lips, but with her whole being. Her eyes, her face, her body exuded a light I wanted to immerse myself in every time she deemed me worthy of witnessing it.

The Maybelle I knew before the accident hardly revealed a smile of this caliber to me. Life hadn’t given her the chance to experience the tender joy of smiling so bright and it had me craving to pull her close. To hold on to her. To shield her from every evil and never let her go, so nothing in this world could take that light from her—or me, ever again.

“Oh, Mayhem. You and I both know that book belongs to me. I’m just letting you borrow it.”

Her face contorted, silently asking me where I found the audacity to claim such a thing.

Yeah, that popped out a little presumptuous, I’ll admit it, but that book wasmine.

I just needed to be patient for the day she knew it, too.

***

Friday night finally rolled around. I was supposed to leave early Saturday morning for home, but I couldn’t wait. I got to my apartment from training, showered, dressed in sweats and a long sleeve tee. My packed bag was in hand as I made my way out, hair still damp, before the small party of people gathered in my living room stopped me.

Larson and Bear had a couple of girls sitting with them on the beanbag and couch. A kid from the team named Sam was holding one girl hostage in conversation. She looked bored to tears. I almost felt bad for her, but the poor, awkward kid needed the practice socializing. The girl would be fine to listen to his ramblings a little while longer.

Two people sat at the kitchen countertop. The guy turned in his stool, seeing me approach with my bags. “Hey, Turner. How are you, man?”

I smiled at my old friend. “Hey, Williams.”

Noah Williams took up the position of first-string quarterback and captain of our high school football team during my first season of college ball. He quickly became the number one high school quarterback in the state of California.

There was a line of colleges begging to put him on their teams, but Williams followed in the footsteps of the guy who took such care to teach and befriend him at a young age.

He even wore Liam’s old number—number three.

Now Williams, Larson, Bear and I were all roommates. It was comforting to have someone here with me from home. Someone who knew and loved Liam a fraction of what I did.

“Trey! Oh my god, how are you?” That voice put my whole body on edge.

Juliette Miller was a lean brunette on the cheer-leading team. She was a conventionally attractive girl that was tall, with soft features—she was nice. Really nice, but the last conversation we had left a sour taste in my mouth.

Juliette was a year older than me. This was her third year with the cheer team and her uncle was my defensive coach. She was well-known and well-liked by everyone I knew.

Just before this last summer started, she asked me out.

I obviously said no. I was spoken for by a girl in a coma—who didn’t know it yet. Avoiding the part that made me sound like I crazed stalker, I explained to Juliette I couldn’t go out with her because I was already in a relationship.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were seeing someone… Does she go here?”she had asked.

I shook my head. “No, she’s from my hometown, but I go home to see her every weekend.”

Nodding, she smiled at me, but it wasn’t a happy or understanding expression. “You know my uncle is your coach, right?”

Her question had stunned me. I sat, eyeing her for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

“Uh, yeah,” I finally uttered.

She only pursed her lips before saying, “Good, just checking.”

We hadn’t spoken since.