Page 58 of Out of My Mind

“Where are you going?”

“Fuck you, Noah.”

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

The brothers stared each other down. Gideon thought about all he had done for his brother, for this family. He was glue, and all Noah ever tried to do was break them apart. “You can’t stand that she loves me more. You think this will help her get on your side.”

“Listen to yourself, Gideon. Just listen to yourself.”

Gideon ripped off his boutonnière and threw it at his brother’s feet.

“What are you doing?” Noah asked.

“Enjoy your wedding.” Gideon stomped through the snow, away from the church.

“Are you serious about this?”

Gideon didn’t answer him. He didn’t think about his mom or Hannah or Noah. He charged through the snow with the determination of an Everest climber.To hell with the consequences.

CHAPTER Nineteen

Mac

It took until mid-December for the first real snow to hit campus. A few inches of white powder blanketed the buildings and piled up on sidewalk corners. Mac took his nightly walk to the grocery store to pick out dinner. Frozen meals were the best. There was no cleanup involved. Just toss away the carton. He focused on that rather than the pathetic, “party of one” vibe they gave off.

He pulled a chicken pot pie from the freezer. It seemed festive. He caught a glimpse of himself in the glass reflection. His baggy parka hung over a sweatshirt and his rattiest jeans. He felt like he had lost his life a little. It was wrapped up in Davis and Gideon. And now with the pot pie, he was on his way to losing his six pack, too.

Mac put the pie under his arm and walked to the cash register. One register over, Gideon was buying a rotisserie chicken and bottle of Sprite.

Shit. Of all nights when I let myself go full homeless person.Gideon wore his jeans that made his ass extra round. Mac assumed there was a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up underneath his jacket.

He took baby steps behind the magazine rack to stay hidden, but the cashier looked his way.

“Four sixty-nine.” She had a booming voice that was louder than any microphone. She motioned for him to come forward and pay.

Mac slid over a five from his hiding spot. Gideon picked up his grocery bags and headed for the door. Mac breathed a sigh of relief. But a second later, Gideon pivoted on his foot. He forgot his damn wallet at the checkout.

And that was when he got to feast his eyes on his pathetic, frozen dinner-eating, parka-wearing ex-roommate.

The cashier made change and gestured for Mac to get moving. She had a line and no patience for college drama.

“Hey,” Gideon said.

“Hey.” It was pretty much a vocalized grunt. Mac eyed the door, then Gideon. He made the mistake of looking up into those green eyes. They were a fucking trap. But at least he seemed to be just as awkward and uncomfortable here as Mac.

“Were you able to find a new place?”

“Yeah.” Mac couldn’t tell if his heart was racing because he wanted to get the hell out of there or he wanted to stay.Why can’t I just hate you?

“That’s good.” Gideon pointed at the chicken pot pie. His bags swayed in his hand. “Dinner?”

“Yeah.”

“Me, too. Chicken and soda.”

“You mean pop.”Fuck.Mac said it without thinking. That was a joke, and jokes were only for friends.

Gideon’s lips curved up into remnants of a familiar smile Mac still liked to picture. Nothing beat the real thing, though. “I mean soda.”