“So…was your make-out session the first time you two locked lips, or have you two been sneaking around for a while?” I blurt out quietly, and her eyes immediately widen in shock. “Yeah, I saw you two.”
She tries holding back a smile, but I see it. Maddie’s blushing too, which is ironic because she never gets embarrassed. “I never kiss and tell,” she states with a grin, which is a lie, considering how much she talks about selling off her virginity. “And no, I don’t know what it means. He said we’d talk about it once he got back.”
I squeeze her arm, wanting to squeal out to the gods that my little sister actually kissed Liam. A guy she’s been not-so-subtly chasing for years. “How could you keep that from me?”
“I’m not foolish enough to actually think it changes anything,” she says with a shrug as she continues pushing Aaron who fell asleep. “Liam’s a player, and I finally broke through his hard shell, but that doesn’t mean he wants to settle down with me.”
“So Thursday morning was a goodbye kiss before he left?” I push, wanting more juicy details.
She doesn’t directly answer my questions. Sly, Maddie.
“I was grabbing food from the fridge to make breakfast, and he said he had to leave so he wouldn’t miss his flight. I was giving him the cold shoulder. I don’t want to get my heart broken, so I figured if I act like I don’t care, then I can’t get hurt.”
My chest aches, seeing her this vulnerable, which isn’t common for her. Maddie’s a tough chick, always sarcastic and blunt, but deep inside, she’s a marshmallow.
“I walked around him in the kitchen to grab a pan, and then he just grabbed my arm and spun me around. He pulled me into his chest and kissed me. Like really kissed me. Then he said we’ll talk when he gets back, and that’s the last I heard from him.”
“Oh my God, oh my God!” I whisper-squeal, which makes Maddie laugh. “Well, from what I saw, it was very hot.”
“You’re a little creeper, aren’t you?” She takes Aaron out of the swing and holds the sleeping baby to her chest. “I better get him into his rocker so he can nap.”
“You guys ready to eat?” Hunter calls from the patio door. Everyone walks into the kitchen and starts piling food on their plates.
Mason and I sit with my parents to give us more time together, and even though we didn’t do things in the order they prefer, they’ve accepted us and like Mason a lot. It helps that Hunter and Mason are friends because they cherish Hunter so much, and he’s told my parents what a good guy Mason is. They know Mason protected me from Weston and Dalton, and for that, they’re very grateful.
As I sit next to my future husband and listen to him talk to my dad about sports, I can’t help the cheesy smile on my face. I love watching the two most important men in my life get along and laugh together. I’m so madly in love with Mason and can’t wait for us to get married and buy a house someday soon.
“So are you going to get married in Utah, too?” my mother asks.
I look at Mason. “Uh, we’re not quite sure yet.” He grabs my hand and squeezes. “We’re happy right now, and we’ll make plans when the time is right,” I tell them. Between our work schedules, it’ll be hard to even plan a wedding. I’d love a Christmas-themed wedding in the mountains, but I don’t tell them that. The moment I give Mom any information, she’ll continue to pry and push.
“Madelyn,” my mom says, grabbing her attention. “Have you thought about what you’re doing after graduation?”
Maddie plasters on a forced smile. It’s no surprise our mother would ask even though she has a year left. “Probably apply to some dance companies and hope for the best.” That’s her go-to answer.
“Well darling, you can’t wait too long in that industry. You aren’t getting any younger.”
I hold back a snort and an eye roll. Maddie takes it much better than me, though.
“I know. I heard twenty-one is the new forty,” Maddie says in a serious voice, but her tone is filled with sarcasm.
Before they can continue their conversation, the front door flies open, and Liam finally walks in. But he’s not alone.
Oh my God.