Chapter 21 #2
I make a mental note to text her later for deets. Girlfriend must have gotten dicked down good to still be this mellow.
Joey’s grin widens, and Decker bends low to kiss her on the forehead.
“I’ll make you double chocolate chip brownies,” he confirms, proving that he does, in fact, know what she likes, then stands and strides back toward the bedroom door.
“No nuts this time!” she yells after him.
He chuckles from out in the hall but doesn’t confirm or deny his intentions.
“I swear he tries to put his nuts in everything,” she tells me, her expression one of annoyance. A heartbeat later, her words must register, though, because she dissolves into a fit of giggles like she’s twelve, and I follow right behind her.
It takes several minutes to pull ourselves together, but once we do, she wipes away her tears of laughter and surveys me.
“So you and this Levi guy, huh? I’m a little hurt that Decker knows him, but I don’t.”
“It’s new,” I confess with a sigh. “And complicated.”
Before she can grill me, my phone vibrates. Saved by the bell. Or, in this instance, the text.
I pick it up, expecting a message from Levi or maybe a check-in from Greedy. When I see the text on the screen, I’m hit with an onslaught of mixed emotions.
The One and Only: It’s all coming together, Mahina. Call me as soon as you can.
Mahina.
He promised to follow me through every lifetime—through every phase of the moon.
They were beautiful sentiments. Life-affirming words when I needed them most.
But there’s nothing he can do or say to change the course I’m on now.
I’m back in North Carolina for practical purposes. To get my degree, then move on with my life, once and for all. I have a plan, and I fully intend to see it through.
“Earth to Hunter,” Joey singsongs.
Heart lodged in my throat, I look up at my best friend, only now realizing I’ve been staring at my phone, thinking about the man who brought me back to life on the edges of Lake Como.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that look on your face. Was that your new boyfriend messaging you?”
“Something like that,” I tell her, stashing my phone and ducking my head, hoping to hide the way my cheeks are heating.
I take my time settling again, closing my textbook while I compose myself. Then I change the subject. It’s clear we won’t be getting any more studying done tonight.
“What are your plans for the holidays?”
“We’re still finalizing details,” Joey says, “but we plan to go to the cabin on Beech Mountain and spend Christmas there.”
She has this dreamy look in her eye when she talks about the cabin. I can’t blame her. It’s a gorgeous place, and it’s where she and Decker said “I do.”
“Then Decker wants to go on a honeymoon,” she adds, though her eyes have suddenly filled with hesitation.
“And you don’t want to go on a honeymoon?” I challenge. “Because I gotta tell you, going on a sex vacation with four hot men who are more than happy to be at your beck and call doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend winter break.”
“I know,” she grumbles, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes. “It’s not that I don’t want to go. I just have such a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of a vacation.”
Head tilted, I survey her, working to understand her thought process. When she drops her hands from her face, her eyes are swimming with a vulnerability she rarely lets anyone see.
“I’ve never even been on a plane,” she admits. “And the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in was the one I had to share with Decker at the away game in Georgia at the start of the season.”
“Joey.” Tilting forward, I wrap her up in a hug. “You deserve nice things. You deserve the best things,” I assure her. “If Decker and the guys want to take you on some fancy-schmancy vacation, let them.”
She sighs, returning my hug and sinking her weight into me.
“You’re right. I need to get over myself,” she admits with a long breath out. “But I promise we won’t be gone the whole time. I definitely want to see you over winter break.”
My heart aches in a good way. This woman is the best kind of friend. I want her to enjoy her time off with her men, but I can’t deny that I’d love to spend some time with her, too. “Of course.”
“What are your plans?” she asks.
I squint, working to visualize my calendar without pulling my phone out. I can’t look at that text message again. Not now.
Exams are this week. Next week will be low key while I rest and recover.
I don’t have a clue what the end of the month will bring.
“I’m not sure,” I admit. Hopefully Levi’s mom doesn’t use the holidays as an excuse to pressure him to stay with her or to go along with any of her ridiculous plans. “Maybe we’ll head up to Dr. Ferguson’s cabin, too.”
It would be a nice reprieve from the day-to-day routine. And getting Levi out of town might be a good idea. I make a mental note to talk to Greedy later.
“I need gift ideas for Sam,” Joey muses. “And Jeannie, I guess.”
That last part is said much less enthusiastically. Her uncle’s secretary at the salvage yard means well, but she’s a lot.
“Do you think you’ll see any family over the holidays?”
Lips pressed together, I consider my options.
I haven’t actually been home for the holidays in three years.
I have no interest in visiting with my dad’s side or partaking in any celebrations with his new family in France.
My mom’s still MIA, thank goodness, and she doesn’t have any living relatives in the area.
I assume it’ll just be me, Greedy, Dr. Ferguson, and now Levi.
Joey, likely reading my mind, squeezes my hand, assuring me. “You have me. And my guys. We’re your family now, too.”