29. Macey
MACEY
The Burrow Bitches
Kira: What am I going to do without you??
Britney: a lot ;)
Ariadne: What does that even mean?
Macey: Guys, don’t do anything crazy without me this summer.
I’d never packed so fast in my life. Once I said yes to road-tripping with Noah and Daphne this summer, time seemed to move quicker.
Noah would never admit to what Daphne revealed in thirty seconds: that he had been putting off the start of their trip so that we could reconcile. My heart had warmed for a minute before guilt cooled it off. They had been dreaming of this trip for a year, and it was my fault they were losing time.
So we agreed to leave today. It wasn’t like I had a job to show up to tomorrow or anything.
I had begun to finally feel confident in myself and in my decisions.
Sure, it often felt like I had no idea what I was doing, but now I understood that feeling was normal.
It didn’t matter if you were in your twenties, thirties, forties, or beyond—it was okay to take your life day by day.
I would much rather live life not sure what was going to happen tomorrow than face a planned day that would make me miserable.
It didn’t hurt that Macey’s Miles fit perfectly for a road trip series. It’d be my first series in my blog, but I was excited to feature us instead of just me .
Another thing I realized recently? It was okay if we all felt a little lost. I could be inspired by the friends and family who had it all together just as much as the ones who didn’t.
As I shoved a pile of clothes into my suitcase, the door to my room creaked open. Kira leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed, wearing a half-smile. “Is it crazy to leave on a three-month road trip with a guy you just started dating?”
I paused, holding up my long-sleeved Chicago Bears shirt. “Well, technically speaking”—I tied the shirt around my waist—“we’ve been fake dating for months.”
Kira chuckled, but her smile faltered, revealing a hint of sadness. “I’m just trying to find an excuse to get you to stay.”
Her words made my heart ache. I crossed the room in two quick steps and pulled her into a tight hug. “I’ll be back before you even know I’m gone,” I promised, my voice muffled against her shoulder. “Plus, I left extra money to cover my share of the rent, so no worries.”
Kira squeezed me a little tighter before letting go, her eyes a bit glassy as she took a seat on the edge of my bed.
“I don’t care about the rent.” She gave a small laugh, brushing her hair behind her ear.
“Who else am I going to complain about work to every night? Or share a pint of ice cream with?”
I smiled as I returned to my suitcase to tuck the last of my clothes in. “You can FaceTime me whenever, and I’ll make Noah pull over for ice cream.”
“Deal.” Kira grinned, but I could still see the sadness there. The clock on my nightstand caught my eye. Noah would be here in a few minutes.
After zipping up the suitcase, I tugged it off the bed, and Kira helped me drag it into the living room. She stood there for a moment, hands on her hips, eyes glistening.
“I’m proud of you, you know.” Her voice cracked a little, and I had to blink back the tears forming in my own eyes. “I’m glad you’re following your heart.”
Damn it. I didn’t expect to cry today. “Me too.”
She sniffled and then cleared her throat. “Where’s your first stop?”
“We’re going to spend the night at my parents’ place. Then we’re heading to Detroit.”
Kira’s eyebrows shot up. “Aw, a family gathering. I can’t wait to hear how they react when you introduce Noah as your real boyfriend.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “There’s a lot to explain to them.”
Noah was heading back to school in the fall, but he planned to study all summer to refresh his knowledge. I had offered to help, even if my role would mostly involve reading flashcards and teasing him with sexy rewards along the way.
Just then, a car beeped outside. “Your ride is here.”
I sighed, the weight of the moment settling in. We hugged one last time by the door, and I held on a little longer than I meant to. “Don’t do anything crazy without me,” I teased, pulling back.
“All I do is go to work and read books,” Kira said, smirking as she opened the door for me. “Trust me, you won’t miss anything.”
That made me feel like I was going to miss a lot.
But while leaving meant missing out on some things, it also provided the chance to have new experiences of my own.
I laughed, but as I stepped out into the hallway, a wave of emotion hit me.
The adventure ahead excited me, but leaving Kira, my partner-in-crime, even for just a few months, left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
With a final wave, I headed outside, suitcase rolling behind me.
Noah stood by the car, waiting with a smile that immediately brightened my mood.
I dragged my luggage down the stairs to where an SUV was parked. The beeps got more intense. Hopefully the neighbors aren’t home.
The back seat window rolled down and Daphne popped her head out. “Get in loser! We’re road-tripping.”
“Okay, Regina George.” I high-fived her through the window as I walked toward the trunk to pop my luggage inside.
Noah met me there, greeting me with a kiss on the forehead.
I could get used to this.
“Are you sure you’re okay with leaving for so long?” he asked while opening the trunk.
In the broad sunlight of the day, Noah’s skin looked as tan as ever, glowing beneath the sun’s warmth.
The veins in his forearms pulsed as he effortlessly lifted my luggage into the trunk, each movement as smooth and natural as I remembered.
Even after seeing every inch of him—countless times—I still thought those forearms were the sexiest thing I’d seen.
“Spending three months with my boyfriend and his cool sister while gathering content for my blog?” A playful grin tugged at my lips. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
Noah wrapped an arm around my waist and drew me into his chest with a possessive yet tender grip. “I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.”
“What, my blog?” I mumbled into his chest, still half-laughing.
“While I’m immensely proud of your blog,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin, “no, that’s not it.”
“Your cool sister?” I teased.
“Macey.” His voice dropped, just a little, and the sound of my name in his mouth made my stomach flutter.
“Oh,” I exaggerated the syllable, dragging it out in mock surprise. “My boyfriend.”
He hummed softly in response, the vibration of it sending shivers down my spine. “Say it again.”
“My hot boyfriend, Noah.”
His response was instant, a sharp intake of breath followed by a low, guttural, “Fuck.” He pulled back just enough for our foreheads to press together, the gentle pressure sending a wave of warmth through me. “Do you think Daphne would mind if we went back to your room for half an hour?”
Before I could answer, the car beeped, loud and sudden, startling me out of the moment. I laughed, my shoulders shaking as I shook my head. “Yeah, I think she’d mind.”
As we climbed into the car, Noah taking the wheel and me sliding into the passenger seat, Daphne poked her head between us, her eyes wide and exaggeratedly disapproving. “If I have to see that every day, we’ll need to get some doggy bags for all my vomiting.”
Noah pressed a button to start the car as I watched, fascinated. “Once a drama queen, always a drama queen.”
“ I’m the drama queen?” Daphne leaned back in the middle seat and crossed her arms. “Who nearly cried when I told him to leave the LEGOs at home?”
“I did not nearly cry,” Noah scoffed. “I was just thinking of ways to keep us entertained.”
“Oh, I’m sure you and your new girlfriend will find plenty of ways.” She smirked.
I forgot what sibling arguments looked like. “Let’s hold on the fights until day three at least,” I said, then turned to Daphne. “Maybe we can find a hot partner for you this summer.”
“ Please ,” she said just as Noah yelled, “Not happening!”
Noah turned up the radio as we fell into comfortable silence. I opened up Instagram. While the growth in my followers count had slowed compared to the last few weeks, it was still increasing.
I gave Noah’s profile @noahhans a quick glance. His most recent post about taking a few months off was still up, and it had been met with positive reception. The comments poured out their understanding and encouragement for taking breaks from social media.
When he returned to his account in the fall, things would be different. I knew he was a little bit worried about what people would think—it was inevitable for us all—but he knew he had the support of the people who mattered the most to him.
I held up my phone for a selfie. “Everyone, smile!”
This would be the first photo to mark the rest of the summer, and in a way, the start of our futures. And I couldn’t imagine starting the journey next to anyone else.