Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“It’s just hard seeing Elliot around the frat house,” I said, which was at least partially true.
“The asshole. Well, you are always welcome to come stay at my house.”
“I like being on campus. I can handle it, and it’s only one more year. I was just… having a moment.”
“Why was Elliot being a prick?”
I sucked in a breath of air, looking over at the moonlight coming in through my window. “Because he found out I have a crush on someone new.”
“Oh,” Kane said simply.
He didn’t push. Didn’t pry.
But I still felt like my heart was teetering on a ledge, and all of this felt like too much.
“Well, that’s good. As long as the new guy has zero in common with Elliot’s sorry ass.”
I puffed out a laugh. “He’s nothing like Elliot.”
“Excellent.”
I felt like a weight was being lifted from me, piece by piece.
I was telling my brother the truth. Even if it wasn’t in great, shining detail.
“I’d say he’s better than Elliot in just about every conceivable way,” I said. “He’s older. Better looking. Doesn’t give me sudden urges to crawl into a cave and never look back.”
“Just make sure you’re still putting yourself first. Prioritizing what you need. I never want you to feel as isolated as you were over the past few years.”
“God, me either,” I said. “And… I’m trying to let him prioritize himself, too.”
“Good.”
I sighed. “I was afraid you’d chew me out for having a crush at all.”
“No,” he mused. “Well, only if he treats you badly. Jesse, I know I’ve told you this before, but I never want us to be how we were, either.”
I swallowed. “I fucking hated not being able to talk to you. Never again.”
“Damn right.”
I felt like my heart was spinning. “I don’t think anything serious is going to happen with this guy, but it just feels good. To have a guy actually want me, instead of using me.”
He does want me, right?
“Yeah,” I heard Kane yell at someone in the bar. “Two cases? Got it. I’ll be up in a sec. Jesse? Hey.”
“Hey. You can head back in now. But thank you for talking me down from the world’s stupidest little cliff.”
“Bug me all you want, okay? I never hate getting a call from you. And I mean it—if you ever need to get out of there, the Hard Spot and my house are always here. Yes, Max, I’m coming! Later, J.”
“Bye, K.”
I hung up, sliding the phone into my sweatpants.
>>Mason: Apparently Wayne Gretzky stayed at the hotel I’m at, once. He’s important, right?
It was Mason’s first day in Atlanta, and I got the text right after finishing lunch. I laughed as I saw it, and tapped out a reply.
>>Jesse: He’s a little-known hockey player. Really kind of an unknown.
Mason was so unfamiliar with hockey that I wasn’t even sure if he’d get the joke, but luckily, he sent me an eye-roll emoji afterward.
>>Mason: Well, I can feel like I’m in the presence of hockey greatness even though I’m hours away from you.
>>Jesse: If Wayne Gretzky shows back up again and you hook up with him instead of me, I’m going to be so jealous. And I’ll have… lots of questions. For him.
>>Mason: LOL. Promise I wouldn’t. You’re hotter.
Hours later, when I was back at home after visiting Kane for a while, I decided to send Mason another message. I took off my shirt, hopped onto my bed, and snapped a selfie. I sent it over to him with a text:
>>Jesse: This is what you were missing out on last night, just so you know.
>>Mason: Mmm. Bed Jesse. I really like Bed Jesse.
>>Jesse: Next time stay over, then.
>>Mason: Maybe.
It was another couple of days before he texted me again, showing me a picture of some of the repairs he’d helped out on for the volunteer project. He also sent a photo of him and his friend Mary, which he captioned me and my sister from another mister.
>>Jesse: You guys look great. Miss you.
>>Mason: I’ll be back soon enough.
>>Jesse: You know something? My text notifications used to annoy the shit out of me and they don’t anymore. I get excited that it might be something from you.
Damn.
Maybe that was a little too boyfriendy, too. I stared at the ceiling, hoping he wasn’t reading my texts and slowly starting to back out.
>>Mason: Careful what you wish for. I’ll start texting you too much.
>>Jesse: Don’t think there’s any such thing. By the way, I saw a horse today.
>>Mason: Where?
>>Jesse: On campus. They had a couple of horses, actually. Some group was there to promote animal rights awareness. There was also a pig, a goat, a dog, and a ferret.
>>Mason: A real Mount Rushmore of different animals.
>>Jesse: Imagine owning a goat.
>>Mason: It’s always been something I wanted.
>>Jesse: No fucking way.
>>Mason: I’m a rancher, Jesse. It’s what we do.