Bonus Epilogue
December
“Did we make a mistake letting Lyss and Shay pick the movie themselves?” I laugh, only half-kidding. “Knowing them, we’re going to end up being forced to watch some sappy love story.”
Kelsey bumps my hip with hers. “You’re speaking to the girl who is sappy and in love now.”
“Ugh, it makes me sick.” I throw a popcorn kernel at her, shaking my head.
“Hey, if I can find love, you can too.”
Tess gives me a fist bump of solidarity. “I feel you, girl.”
“Thank you.” I shoot a wide-eyed look at Kelsey. “At least someone still gets it.”
“Just you wait. When y’all meet someone who can kiss as well as Tyler, you’ll be changing your tune.”
“Ew.” Tess grimaces. “I thought we agreed to never talk about your physical relationship with my brother.”
“Sorry, not sorry.”
“Are y’all almost done?” Shayna asks. “There’s a new romcom available to rent that I’ve heard great things about.”
Tess and I groan. My besties are lucky I’d do anything for them, even watch fluffy romcoms.
“Be there in a sec,” Kelsey calls back. She picks up the tray of drinks: four mugs of hot cocoa and one mug of peppermint tea for me because I refuse to drink hot cocoa ever since the incident .
I grab the giant bowl of popcorn and follow Kelsey and Tess into our living room. My gaze moves to the television, wondering what silly romcom they’re forcing me to watch this time.
When I see the still picture of a man paused on the screen, my breath hitches. I lose my grip on the bowl. It clatters to the ground, spilling kernels all over our wood floor.
I haven’t seen his face for three years, and seeing it now brings back all the stupid feelings I thought I’d gotten over a long time ago.
“What?” Alyssa moves toward me like she’s going to protect me from an invisible force.
“It’s him,” I mutter, unable to look away from the screen.
“Who?”
“ Him .” I point to the television.
Alyssa rubs my back. “You’re going to have to elaborate a little more than that, Mal.”
“That’s Griffin.”
Shayna nods. “Oh, you’re right. I thought he looked familiar. I think his name is Griffin Reynolds. Supposedly, he’s the newest hot and upcoming movie star. Like the new Zac Efron or Glen Powell of our generation.”
I shake my head. “No, I mean it’s him . Griffin is he-who-must-not-be-named.”
The room falls silent, all my roommates understanding my meaning.
“I’ll find a different movie,” Shayna mutters, exiting out of the picture of his face that sent shockwaves through my body.
“I can’t believe he’s hot cocoa man.” Kelsey lets out a low whistle.
Tess looks around the room. “Okay, I’m going to need some context here. Who is hot cocoa man?”
I puff my cheeks up and blow out a long, slow breath. “That question has a long answer. And I’m going to need something a little stronger to drink than tea.”
“Another time, then.” She squeezes my arm, shooting me a sympathetic smile.
“But basically, just know that we hate him.” Shayna huffs. You know it’s bad when her sunny personality dissolves into storm clouds.
“Agreed,” Alyssa and Kelsey echo.
Shayna clicks through the movies on the streaming platform. I grab a broom, and Tess helps me sweep up the popcorn.
“How about Twisters ? Glen Powell is hot, but there’s no romance.”
I nod. “Sounds perfect.”
I try to focus on the movie…to distract myself from the image of Griffin that’s now seared into my brain. But my insides feel like the tornadoes on the screen, swirling around inside, wreaking havoc without a care for what’s in their path.
My heart aches. I’ve always been one to put on a brave face, but it took me a long time to get over Griffin Reynolds.
Only now, seeing his annoyingly perfect smile, I’m not sure I’m over him after all.
You won’t want to miss Mallory’s book, How He Got the Girl—a fake dating, celebrity romcom.