Nothing Feels Better (Better Love 3)

“Makin’ cinnamon rolls.”

“With the cream cheese icing?”

“Of course.” She grins, and my stomach growls.

“I’m jealous.”

“Could come back for fall break and have some,” she says, dragging out the last few words in a song. I chuckle and shake my head, about to tell her again that I’ve made my decision, and I’m staying in Boston for fall break, but the expression on her face stops me short.

“What?” I ask, and she scrunches up her nose. “Bailey, seriously, what?”

“Look, I’m just saying that Jocelyn has a lot going on right now, and I think it would be good for both of you if you came here to visit for fall break.”

“What do you mean she has a lot going on? Is she okay?”

“Just come home, Jesse.” Her shoulders slump, and she sighs.

“Why?”

“Because she’s in love with you too, ya big dummy. She told me so herself.”

The ground drops out from under my feet. I shake my head a bit and hit her with a glare.

“What did she say?”

“Oh my god, Jesse. What are we, in 8th grade? I said, are you in love with Jesse? And she said, yes. And I said, does he know that, and she said, it doesn’t matter blah blah blah he can’t ruin his future for me blah blah blah. But here’s the thing, Jesse. That woman is a freaking saint, and she would do everything—I mean everything—by herself, just so she wasn’t a burden on someone else. She would never ask you for anything, but if you love her like I think you do, like you say you do, then you wouldn’t make her ask. So, stop being so fucking boring, get on a god damn plane, and come get your fucking girl!”

We stare at each other for a moment, her with smoke coming out of her ears and a frown, and me gaping like a moronic fish out of water. Then, when I finally process her speech, I hang up. I’ll probably get my ass handed to me later, but at least she’ll be able to do it in person.

I use my phone to book the next flight out, which is in two hours, and rush around my apartment tossing shit in a duffle. I’m halfway down the hall before I have to turn back.

“Steve,” I call, running around and looking under furniture and in closets. “Steve, my son, come out, come out. Time to go see your Auntie Anjali.”

I find Steve in the back of my closet on top of a pair of white and green Jordan 4s. I keep telling him not to lie on my shoes, but this cat gives zero fucks.

“C’mere, son.” I scoop him up and carry him out of the apartment and up the stairs.

I knock on Anjali’s door, and she answers immediately.

“You’re up early,” she greets with a smile.

“Me?” I joke. “You’re the one who usually sleeps until noon.”

She rolls her eyes, then zeroes her attention in on Steve. She pops a brow, and I give her my best, innocent and charming smile. She doesn’t budge.

“Can you watch Steve this week for me?”

“Why? I thought you were staying in town for break.”

“Change of plans,” I hedge, but she gives me the look and I cave. “I’m going back to Indy. She loves me.”

Anjali’s face transforms into a giant smile, and I smile back.

“Jocelyn?” she asks, and I nod. “I knew it.”

I jerk back and scoff. “How’d you know?”

She shakes her head. “I swear, for being a genius, you’re not very smart.”

“Why do people keep saying that to me?” I throw my catless arm out and drop it back down, and Anj laughs.

“Love makes people dumb,” a voice calls from inside the apartment, and then Cam, Anjali’s partner, who goes to Stanford Med, walks into the room.

“Hey,” I say with a smile. “I thought you couldn’t be here until tomorrow?”

“I didn’t think so either, but I was able to move some stuff around and got in about six this morning.”

“Sweet.” I lift up Steve. “Do you mind?”

“Definitely not.” Cam steps forward and takes my black and white floof of fluff. “Have a safe flight.”

I hand Anjali my keys, give her a hug and Steve a goodbye head pat, and then rush out of the building.

When I finally land andturn my phone back on, I have one text from Bailey. The fact that there is only one makes me afraid to check it.

Ball Buster:I swear if you’re ignoring me for any reason other than being on a plane to Indiana, I will make you regret it. It will be painful. You will rue the day you hung up on me.

I shudder.That girl is terrifying.

Me:*plane emoji* *corn emoji* *orange heart emoji*

Ball Buster:YOU BETTER NOT BE LYING TO ME!!!

Me:*praying hands emoji*

Me:*Aries emoji*

Me:*middle finger emoji*

Me:*running man emoji*

I putmy phone on silent.

She’s going to murder me.

The only rental car the place has is a tiny-ass compact, but I take it because I’m on a mission. I feel like one of those clowns at the circus getting in and out of the damn thing, though. I chuckle. I guess now I know how Shaq felt in Kazaam.

On the drive to Joss’s house, I get nervous. I don’t even know why I’m so nervous. I love her. She loves me. The rest should be cake, right?

Fuck.