Page 61 of Make Her Mine

She shrugs. “It’s also best if you pop it on the stove top. Not in the microwave.”

“And you have all of this at your place.”

“Along with scrunchies I know don’t have cooties and—” She glances down. “Pants.”

“We already established that scrunchie is ninety-nine percent cootie free, and I gotta say, you’re pulling off the no-pants look.”

“Thanks, I guess,” she says with a light laugh.

“But,” I say pushing off from the counter. “Because I really am the best boyfriend, I’m going to your house to get the spices and the popcorn.”

“You’re going to leave me here?” she asks. “What will Zach think?”

“I’m going to sneak out the back door and then sneak back in.” I hold out my hand. “House keys?”

“There’s a spare tucked behind my front porch light,” she says.

“Great. I’ll be back.”

“Bring the canola oil too,” she says. “And some pants.”

“Spices, popcorn, oil. Got it.”

“And pants!”

I’m laughing as I pull the back door shut behind me on her, “Jefferson!”

CHAPTER 13

JEFFERSON

I jog the distance to her house, easily find the key, and only need a few minutes of rummaging through her kitchen to find all the ingredients. I do glance down the hallway toward her bedroom. I could bring her pants. But I also know that she never wears many clothes when she’s lounging around, and I would bet, if she were on the couch watching television by herself, she wouldn’t have pants on. So she’s not going to have them on at my house.

I’ll give her a blanket, or even sweatpants of mine if she really gets uncomfortable. But if she were my girlfriend, we would definitely have a no-pants-at-home rule.

I am jogging across the yards, and up my back steps less than twenty minutes later. I let myself in the back kitchen door, but immediately stop when I hear voices.

I set the popcorn supplies on the counter and tip my head listening.

Motherfucker. That’s Zach Nelson’s voice.

“You should just go to Dottie’s for coffee,” Harlow is telling him. “Or the bakery.”

“I just like having that first cup or two at home while I get ready,” he says. “You can’t spare enough grounds for one morning? I’ll go to the store tomorrow.”

“The Dixons really don’t have any coffee?”

“They might but I can’t find it. Wanna come over and help me look?”

Is this guy fucking serious? He came to my house to ask my girlfriend to come over to look for coffee?

“They don’t have tea either? That’s what you drank this morning,” Harlow says.

“I’d already had my coffee for the day. I try to watch my caffeine.”

“Well maybe tomorrow is a good time to start cutting back.”

“Come on, Harlow. Be a good neighbor. Just loan me some coffee.”

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