“Apparently, there’s no limit to what he’d do for her,” Nick said, then looked at me. “And there’s no limit to what I’d do for you.”
He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and apologized once more. I melted against his touch, knowing that I never wanted to be without it again.
“I forgive you,” I whispered. “For everything.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” I nodded because I had. I did. And I didn’t want him thinking for a second longer that I didn’t.
“I forgive you too,” Rachel said, wearing her smart-aleck grin when I glanced at her. “Yeah, I heard you.”
“Brooke?” Nick said. “While we’re doling out forgiveness here, how about you?”
Brooke took a few seconds to think. “Two hours ago, I hated you. But I’ve never heard a guy say the kind of things you said to Jess tonight, unless it was in a movie. If Jess and Rachel forgive you, then so do I.”
Nick smiled bigger than I’d seen in a long time as he pulled something from his pocket and flipped it in the air. I grinned, knowing exactly what it was. His grandfather’s lucky poker chip landed in his palm, and he brought it to his lips and kissed it.
“Thank you,” he said to the chip before putting it back into his pocket. “I knew it would bring me luck. I just didn’t know it would bring me this much.”
“You two are grossing me out. Get a room,” Rachel said before recanting. “No. No. Do not get a room. Because then I won’t have anywhere to sleep, and I need a good night’s sleep before that hellish drive tomorrow. Dammit, Nick!” she yelled, switching gears. “Why the hell couldn’t you have done this yesterday so we could have carpooled? Now we both have to drive back to LA separately, and it’s awful. Trust me. The drive sucks. And you don’t even have your phone,” she added, laughing.
“It’s kind of nice, actually,” he said before grabbing my legs and throwing them on top of his. “I like being unreachable right now.”
As I finished off another slice of pizza, Rachel said, “Can I ask something obvious?” When no one said anything, she asked, “You both realize that you’re going to date long-distance, right? Is that what’s happening here? Because I thought your dick would fall off if you did that, Nick.”
Nick choked on his pizza as he punched at his chest. “My dick will be just fine, Rachel, but it appreciates your concern.”
“You forget that I was there when you broke her heart and told her you couldn’t date anyone long-distance without cheating.”
“I lied,” he deadpanned.
Rachel spit out a laugh. “I knew it. We both did. Hell, we all did.”
“Yeah?” Nick cocked a brow in my direction.
“We assumed,” I said, clarifying, “but I believed that you meant what you said.”
“I’m sorry. Again.” He kissed my cheek.
“I know you are.” I offered him a small smile. That day when he broke up with me no longer felt like a moment that had just happened, but more like something that happened eons ago.
“Will you be my girlfriend, Jess Michaelson?” Nick asked loud enough for the girls to hear without straining.
“I thought I already was?” Annoyed, I narrowed my eyes on him. I had assumed that my forgiving him and him being here meant that we were back together, no questions needed.
“You were, but I still wanted to ask you. Officially.”
“You two are going to ruin me, I think,” Brooke said as she reached for another slice of pizza. “How can any relationship compare to this?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Be thankful you weren’t there when they were at State together. You dodged a bullet, my friend.” Looking at Nick and me, she said, “Although I couldn’t be happier for the two of you. Really. I mean it.”
I smiled at my best friend, knowing that her words were sincere. I didn’t care if Nick and I made people sick. I’d never care about what people thought about us ever again.
Like Nick said, it was us against the world, and God help anyone who got in our way or tried to break us apart ever again.
Epilogue
Jess