Page 136 of The Play Maker

Aurora’s already watching me with a knowing smirk. “You’re blushing,” she says, wagging her wine glass at me. “God, you’re so obvious.”

I shrug, not even bothering to deny it. “Yeah. It’s Austin.”

Isabella grins. “You guys are disgustingly cute.”

I laugh under my breath, shaking my head. “I just… I like him,” I admit, even though it’s clearly obvious. “A lot.”

It’s scary how easy things feel with him. How fast it’s gone from us being friends to… something else. Something real. And real always makes me nervous.

I press a hand to my stomach, trying to settle the fluttery ache that’s been there all day. It should feel good. And it does. But then something shifts—like a switch flipping—and my smile falters as a tight, unwelcome knot twists in my gut.

Because I’m happy. Really, genuinely happy. And that’s the part that scares me.

My brain’s already bracing for the fallout. For the moment it gets taken away.

Because I’ve never had something like this before. And some part of me still thinks I don’t get to keep it.

“Hey,” Aurora says quietly. “What just happened? You looked all dreamy a second ago.”

I blink, glancing down at my drink. “I don’t know. I guess… I just keep waiting for something to go wrong.”

Isabella shifts closer on the rug, watching me carefully. “Maisie…”

I bite my lip. “We haven’t—” I stop. The words get stuck. Then I exhale and force them out. “We haven’t done anything yet.”

Isabella doesn’t say anything at first, but I feel her watching me.

Aurora frowns. “Wait. You guys haven’t…?”

I shake my head. “Not all the way. We’ve messed around a little, but… I’ve never actually had sex. With anyone.”

Isabella’s brows lift slightly. “Oh.”

“I know,” I mutter, heat prickling under my skin. “It’s just…” I inhale, steadying myself. “Sometimes I feel like I’m on thiscompletely different timeline than everyone else. Like I’m trying to catch up but I don’t even know where the starting line is.”

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, Mais,” Isabella says.

“I’m not embarrassed,” I mutter, half-laughing and not even sure why. “I just don’t want to disappoint him. He’s so—he’s Austin. He’s confident and hot and definitely more experienced than I am and I’m just—” I blow out a breath. “What if he gets bored? Or thinks I’m too inexperienced? Or starts wondering why he’s with someone who doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing?—”

“Maisie, stop,” Isabella cuts in. “First of all,” she says, tossing a gummy worm at me, “you’re not boring.”

“Literally the opposite,” Aurora adds.

“And second of all, the right person doesn’t care if you’ve done stuff. They care if you’re safe, if you’re happy. They wait, because waiting means getting to keep you longer.”

“She’s right,” Aurora says, setting her glass down and leaning forward. “Being inexperienced isn’t a flaw. It’s just where you’re at. And if Austin’s the kind of guy who makes you feel safe, he won’t give a shit. If all he wanted was an easy hook-up, he could find that. But he doesn’t want that. He wantsyou, Maisie.”

My throat tightens.

I nod, slow, pressing my lips together.

“I’d only been with one guy before Ryan,” Isabella says, lifting her shoulder in a shrug. “And even then, it took me a while to feel ready with him. The right person doesn’t pressure you.”

I nod, my fingers curling around the stem of my glass. I want to believe that. I really do. But it’s hard not to spiral.

“I know it’s scary,” she adds, her voice softening. “But honestly? That boy looks at you like you hung the damn stars.”

Aurora hums, smirking. “Also? You’re a total catch, Mais. He should be counting his lucky stars you even think about letting him see you naked.”