Page 42 of The Probability of Us

I glare and say, “Thanks for that. I got wet.”

His eyes light up and he leans closer. “Save the dirty talk for the bedroom. It’s cruel for you to say something like that in public when I can’t do anything about it.”

My mouth pops open and I pull away. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Mitchell.”

“The words came from your beautiful mouth.” He grins at me and his face squishes together. It’s so damn adorable I trace the wrinkles it causes around his eyes.

“That’s not what I meant, you perv.”

He laughs and it sends a chill through me. “How does it feel to be loved by a pervert?”

I fight my smile as long as I can but in seconds it’s fully formed. “You love me.”

“And you love me.” His smile might be brighter than mine is.

“I do,” I whisper.

He leans in closer, and I close my eyes, ready to feel the familiar pressure of his lips against mine. But I never do.

Instead, he says, “How does it feel to bein lovewith a pervert?”

My eyes fly open, and he laughs again. I move to hit him, but he grabs my hand and pulls me closer, finally pressing his lips to mine and all else is forgotten.

“Would you . . .” he mumbles against my lips but pauses and takes a deep breath, pulling back enough to look me in the eyes. “Would you like to come with me to Boston to meet my mom over the holidays?”

My heart screamsyes,but because of the wording I ask, “Do you want me to?”

His grin is so big it steals the air from my lungs. “More than anything.”

I can feel my face lighting up at the words. “Then I wouldn’t miss it. I know you briefly met my mom when she came to take me and Ali out for lunch, but I’d love for you to officially meet my parents too.”

“I’d love that.” He leans in and places a gentle kiss on my cheek, then nose. Before his lips press to mine again, he says, “And I love you.”

“All right, lovebirds!” Ali yells. “Save it for the bedroom.”

Warren and I look at each other and nod, then we rush to the snow, pelting Ali, and the war begins all over again.

At the end of the fight, Sterling gives me one of the polaroids and I laugh but fight back tears of joy. In it, Warren and I are kissing, but a white blur that is the snowball about to hit us blocks our eyes from view. You just see lips locked, a white stripe and then his arm floating above my head with a snowball in hand. It’s a photo of the first time he told me he loved me and it’s perfect in its frozen chaos.

I’ll never get rid of this picture, ever.

Sixteen

AUGUST CURRENT DAY (FRIDAY)

Iwalk to The Dizzy Acorn alone. Warren just texted that his meeting with Peter ended, and he’ll be heading over soon, but I have a few things I’d like to say before he arrives. It took everything in me to not text Trent last night or today and ask what has been eating away at me.

When I get inside, Trent, Ali, and Sterling are all already there—Will’s parents got into town today so he’s spending the evening with them prior to the engagement party on Sunday—and I don’t reply when they say hi. I stomp right up to the table, look Trent directly in the eyes, and ask, “How long have you known?”

He looks up, face twisted in confusion at first until he sees the restrained anger in my shaking body and flushed cheeks, then some of the color drains from his face. His eyes widen and I know I’m not going to be happy with the answer.

“Known what?” Ali asks Sterling and he shrugs as they both look between us.

“How. Long,” I grit out, hands starting to shake so violently I ball them into fists and press them onto the table.

He sighs, looking like he already regrets the words he’s about to say. “I was with him when he bought it.”

My legs almost give out on me as I process the words. All my weight is resting on my fists and the table shakes like it might tip.

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