Page 126 of Meant to Be

JOSIE

My forehead presses against the glass of the passenger side of my brother’s car.

Without a word, I fled the night club and ran back to the hotel. I packed my things and called Sam, who begrudgingly agreed to come rescue me from this horror show of a trip, even though it’s a very long drive for him. I didn’t text Belle until I was on the road, in fear she might hunt me down and try to talk me out of it.

“Well. Sounds like a fun night.” Sam grins.

I groan, pressing my head further into the glass, the vibrations from the glass hurting, but simultaneously seeming to sober me up.

“Why are you smiling like that?” I huff.

“So much drama. I love it.”

I glare at him.

“What?” he asks innocently. “Can’t I live vicariously through you?”

“You can, if you didn’t enjoy it so much,” I mutter.

His grin widens. “Come on, you knew this was coming. You needed to bite the bullet with Nick, but you wimped out.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be trying to make me feel better?”

“You denied me four years of bullying. I need to cram it all in now.”

I roll my eyes, flinging my head back. “My life is so tragic.”

“It’s sort of exciting,” he says. “People would do anything to have the kind of chemistry you and Harley have.”

Shifting in my seat, I lean back on the door and face my brother. His long hair is unruly, falling over his face. He sweeps it back before placing his hand back on the wheel. I study his face for a moment.

“When am I going to meet him?”

Sam’s hands tighten around the steering wheel. His eyes dart to me for a moment.

“What?”

“When am I going to meet your boyfriend?”

The silence feels thick between us and I clasp my hands together as I wait.

“H-how …” He clears his throat. “How did you know?”

“Please. When I forced you to watchGossip Girl, you weren’t watching it for the plot.”

“Nate Archibald has a great ass,” he agrees and when he smiles, it’s the purest smile I’ve ever seen on his face.

I let out a snort. “Seriously though, I just knew. For ages. I waited for you to say something. You never did.”

“Well. I can’t imagine Dad will take it well. The whole thing has been eating me up.”

“Sometimes we have to do things for ourselves, even if the ones we love don’t agree with it.”

Sam glances at me, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Like you did.”

I nod. He exhales, throwing another hand through his hair.