The Perfect Holiday

“Oh.” I hadn’t exactly been expecting to hear different news, but I couldn’t lie – Rebecca’s unsettling words had put a knot in my stomach. I took a taco in my hands and took a bite, but the food tasted like ash in my mouth.

“Why? You want to be his girlfriend?” Rebecca laughed before I could reply. “Don’t get too hopeful, Molly. He’s not that kind of guy.” She shook her head.

“I don’t know what I want,” I said. I bit my lip and frowned. I didn’t like the direction this conversation was veering in, but I felt powerless to stop it.

“Well, if you’re thinking that he’s going to actually date you, you have to get that idea out of your head.” Rebecca stabbed at a pile of refried beans on her plate with such force that the table shook.

I frowned. “I’m sorry, did I make you angry with me? Did I say something?”

Rebecca sighed. She propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin, looking moody and peevish.

“I don’t know, Molly,” Rebecca said. “Maybe I’m just having PMS or something.”

“Well, if I made you mad, I’d like to know,” I said slowly. I sniffed. “You know I’m not great at reading people.”

Rebecca shrugged. “I don’t really want to talk about this anymore. How was the rest of your day?”

I looked at her. “Rebecca, we talk about everything,” I said. “We’re best friends. That’s what best friends do.”

Rebecca nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. I just…I really don’t want to hurt your feelings, Molly. I know you’re having fun right now and I don’t want to rain on your parade.”

“Well, just say it,” I said crossly. “Because now you’re making me paranoid. Did Alex say something about me? To you? Or did you hear something?”

“Molly, you really need to dial back this…obsession, or crush, or whatever it is that you’ve suddenly developed on my emotionally unavailable brother,” Rebecca said. “I mean, yeah, I’m glad you’re getting out and feeling more confident.”

“If you knew this was going to be a problem, why the hell did you suggest it in the first place?” I asked angrily. “It’s not my fault if he likes hooking up with me!”

“You’re going to get your heart broken,” Rebecca said. She sniffed and tossed her pale hair over one shoulder. “And honestly, I don’t know if I feel up to the job of keeping you in one piece when that happens.”

“You don’t know what’s going to happen,” I said. “You hate your brother! You’ve told me yourself, like a thousand times.”

“I do,” Rebecca said. “And for good reason. Molly, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I just really don’t like this. I don’t like that you’re mooning over him all the time, and spending so much time with him.”

“We’ve hooked up twice,” I said. “And went out for ice cream once. That hardly counts as ‘so much time’!”

Rebecca sighed. “Look, I told you, I really don’t feel like talking about this anymore,” she said. “How was your trip to campus?”

I rolled my eyes and stood up, grabbing my plate. “You know, I think I feel like having dinner in my room tonight,” I said. “Unless you’re going to get mad about that, too.”

Rebecca gave me a wounded, angry look. “I can’t believe you,” she said. “I’ve supported you forever! And now you’re suddenly getting all bitchy and entitled with me because I’m trying to be honest with you?”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re one to talk,” I snapped, whirling on my heel and stomping down the hall to my room. I knew I was acting like a child, but I couldn’t believe Rebecca! She was acting like she knew everything in the world – when had that started? And what was her problem? Why did she care so much about who I was sleeping with?

“Don’t walk away from me!” Rebecca yelled. “We’re not finished yet!”

“You said you didn’t even want to talk about it anymore!” I snapped loudly before slamming my door.

Behind the door, I heard Rebecca’s muffled response. But I didn’t care.

Chapter Thirteen

Alex

Days passed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Molly – the way she’d shaken so violently during her orgasm, the way she’d dutifully dropped to her knees and sucked me off better than a porn star could.

And getting ice cream with her – which hadn’t been bad. I might’ve even had fun.

I didn’t feel like myself at all, and I knew that wasn’t a good sign. So when my Monday shift rolled around, I strolled into the firehouse, determined to have a good time with the guys…or at least fake it until I could make it.