Chapter Twenty-Two #2
The awkward silence was broken by Dina, and luckily, it had nothing to do with the previous topic. She asked Matt some questions about how he was and how hockey was going, and the car was filled with that for the remainder of the drive.
Pulling in front of Hadley’s and my favorite restaurant since we were kids, Matt put the car in park, a subtle sigh escaping under his breath.
“Thanks, Mattie,” I said.
“Of course,” he replied, kind-eyed. “Just text me when you guys are done, and I’ll come get you.”
“Are you sure? We can Uber or—”
“No,” he cut me off. “I’ll come get you.”
Hadley leaned forward again, a whisper echoing through the space between us. “Just kiss already.”
Did she see through us that easily?
“You’re not funny,” I muttered to her.
“Can we go in? I’m hungry,” Dina butted in.
“Uh oh,” Hadley teased, “she’s getting hangry.”
Sighing, I shook my head. “We’ll see you in a bit then. Thanks again, Mattie.”
The yearning gaze he threw had me in a chokehold, immediately missing the comfort of his touch. I wanted to kiss him goodbye; I almost just went for it until Matt’s focus fell to his lap for a moment.
It was bizarre how much things had changed so quickly between us. Just a week ago today, we were nothing more than best friends, having never done more than hug or share an innocent kiss at fourteen.
Now here we were, dropping L bombs and giving each other orgasms in the back of a car.
I guess it was just sixteen years of build-up that led to this point.
Dina’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Bye, Matt!”
“Goodbye, Matthew Wayne!” Hadley waved, halfway out the car.
“Bye, guys!” he called after us.
The further the car trailed away, the deeper the pit in my stomach grew. The reminder that I’d see him again shortly helped me ease up.
My legs were jelly from the staggering orgasm. I was struggling to keep myself upright as we walked inside Francesca’s, a nice Italian restaurant in the heart of town. Hadley and I both loved this place. It was like an upgraded Olive Garden.
There were people waiting in the vestibule for a table, and we slipped past them, having enough experience here to know to make a reservation.
We sat in a booth in the far corner of the restaurant. Hadley and Dina both piled in across from me, and I had major déjà vu when Hadley got straight to the point.
“So,” she pretended to glance at the menu even though we both knew what she’d be ordering, “what’s going on with you and my bestie, Matt?”
“Your bestie, Matt?” I lifted a brow.
“Yes. Are you guys...”
Flicking my eyes over to Dina, she slowly raised a shoulder. “Your hair is a little messy.”
Letting out a frustrated scoff, I attempted once again to pat down my hair before I blurted out, “Okay, yes. We’ve been sleeping together.”
The deafening shriek Hadley let out caused heads to turn, and she slapped her hands over her mouth. As if it would undo the horrified looks peering at our table, Had’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Oh, my God. Finally.”
Interrupted by our waitress coming to introduce herself and request our drink orders, I took the time to sit back and relax.
I knew I was about to be asked a million and one questions, but Hadley in particular had been following Matt’s and my story for years. She was the one that kicked off the bandwagon revolution years ago, the one who’d devoted her life to getting us together.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been excited to tell my closest girlfriends about what was going on. After our first hookup, I took a few days to let it all sink in and really try to get a sense for how I was feeling about it.
Now, I was sure— I liked how things were going between Matt and me.
For so long, I had no idea if crossing the line of friendship would feel wrong or forced, and those fears had always lingered in the back of my mind, preventing me from taking the next step. But everything had surprised me by being the complete opposite. It felt so natural between us, so fated.
As Wendy, our waitress, stepped away, Hadley got right back to it.
“I can’t even believe it. I knew this would happen. I’m like, psychic or something.”
Dina’s eyes rolled so hard they nearly got stuck in the back of her head. “If you’re psychic, then so is everybody else.”
Hadley shot her a playful glare. “Don’t steal this moment from me.”
“We’re just seeing how things go,” I assured.
“Seeing how things go,” Hadley mocked me in a silly voice. “Yeah, okay, sure. How about we skip a few steps and you two just get married already?”
“Had!”
“What? It’s not that crazy. You’ve known each other your whole lives. You literally know everything about one another. Just get married so I can be an aunt faster.”
Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. I hadn’t expected this conversation to go any other way though. This is exactly what I had been preparing for.
“I would be invited to the wedding, right?” Dina asked.
I scoffed lightly. “Obviously.”
“Do I get a plus one?”
Hadley’s head zipped over to Dina. “And who are you gonna invite?”
I responded for her. “Shaela, right?”
Gradually, Dina sunk back against the booth, shoulders slouching like a sheepish child who just got caught doing something they shouldn’t have been.
“What?” I asked.
A condescending grin sat on Had’s face. “Oh, do tell her.”
“Did you guys break up?”
“Yes,” Dina admitted.
“What! When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
My jaw hit the table. “And you didn’t tell us?!”
“I wanted to wait until we were altogether!” Dina argued. “But Had got it out of me earlier today.”
I had no idea how she’d kept this in for so long.
I was barely able to keep my mouth shut for less than a week about Matt.
I’d seen Dina distraught during breakups throughout college.
I’d seen her at her worst, drowning in tears and wine, suffering to Nicholas Sparks movies, and consuming an all-ice cream diet for weeks.
But right now, she seemed perfectly fine. It was somewhat suspicious.
“Why’d you break up?” I blinked.
“Well...”
“Yeah,” Hadley scorned her with a glare, “won’t you please tell the table why?”
I had a feeling Hadley already knew.
Something about Dina’s silence had me stirring. Under her beautifully tanned skin, I could just make out a trace of pink in her cheeks.
My eyes narrowed. “Does this have to do with Drake?”
Dina shifted around in the booth, clicking her tongue. “So, tell us more about you and Matt.”
I shook my head in disapproval.
What a way to start off our night.