Page 49 of Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

“No.I mean, I shop like a woman with a no-limit credit card.Let me loose on Fifth Avenue, and I can drop a hundred grand in a few hours easily.I love clothes, shoes, and everything.”

He always dresses well, but I never pictured the part where he did the shopping.Him wandering around a mall laden with bags.I can’t help it.I giggle.

He narrows his eyes.“Come on, Mae.”

“I’m sorry.I’m just picturing it.Next time we come to New York, I’m taking you shopping.You’ll have to spend your own money of course, but I want to see it in action.”

“It’s a date.But for real.My brothers are ruining all my suits.It’s annoying and a little hurtful.”

We sit in silence as we people-watch.I can’t help but feel guilty for laughing at Seth’s confession.

“Are you okay?”he asks, breaking the silence between us.

I snap out of my thoughts and meet his concerned gaze.“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“You just seemed lost in thought.”

I give him a small smile.“Just thinking about what you said earlier.About how you’d do anything for me.”I don’t want to admit to him that I’m feeling guilty.

He nods, understanding where my thoughts are coming from.“It’s true, Mae.You mean a lot to me.”

As our gazes lock, I feel myself inching closer to him.His hand reaches out to brush against my cheek, and I close my eyes, anticipating the warmth of his mouth on mine.

But just as our lips are about to meet, a loud crash and shouting comes from the kitchen.Two costumed alien waiters are going after each other.They knock over tables and send dishes flying.

Seth gives me a look of disbelief before we both burst into laughter.Amidst the chaos, Seth starts telling me more about his love for shopping and fashion, but we can barely hear each other over the sounds of the ongoing fight.They’re separated now but are still yelling insults as others attempt to pull them from the room.I don’t even care.I find myself enjoying every minute of it with Seth by my side.

He gives me a grateful smile, and my heart flutters in my chest.This is the side of Seth that I’ve always wanted to see—vulnerable and open with me.

“Thank you for this.For real.”

“Mae, I really hope we can keep doing things like this.Visiting anything and everything alien-related and anything else you love that you haven’t told me about.”

His words hit deep in my soul, and I have no idea what to do with that.

FOURTEEN

Seth

The next morning, everyone is in a rush.Our whole group went out to a bar after the show, and while Mae and I left early, we stayed up talking until three a.m., and Abi wasn’t back yet.They all stayed out late, so we all ended up oversleeping.As a result, we had to rebook our flights, adding another layer of chaos to our already hectic travel arrangements.

I’m also distracted.I can’t help but think about all the things that need fixing back at the campground.The leaky roof on the main cabin, the broken fence near the lake, and the overgrown weeds that need to be cleared out.Levi and Mark are struggling to get everything done.Levi texted me this morning and said they found mold in the bathroom of a cabin they’re currently working on.I’m suddenly eager to get back there.

We still have issues that I’m not sure how to resolve.Things Dad could probably handle, but he’ll only be able to do that for so long.The resort needs a manager.A good one.Someone who can spot trouble before it becomes an issue.

Someone like me.

I had hoped Mark would be the guy, but after being home with him for several weeks, I realized he has no interest in being a problem solver.He wants to play in the river, and that’s it.Sure, he can run the campground office and manage employees, but he has no vision.It might not be fair of me to accuse him of that, but it’s true.Noah’s too into the numbers to see the big picture, and Levi isn’t good with people.Abi is too young.That leaves Jacob, Ethan, and Isaac.They are the three that I’ve had the least to do with since most of their jobs take them away from the resort.

Maybe one of them can do it, but maybe not.

In a flurry of activity, we gather our bags and make our way onto the bustling streets.I quickly give hugs to all my friends.Abi is being her usual gushy self, showering everyone with affection.She avoids making eye contact with David, and I wonder if he made a move on her last night.He’s not really the type, but it is weird that she gave both Tristan and Hayden massive hugs and then skipped him.

Before we know it, a taxi pulls up to the curb.Saying goodbye always sucks.I miss my friends and our adventures.Seeing them only a few times a year isn’t enough.

Mae’s walking this morning, but carefully, and I help her into the back of the cab.

“Where to?”the driver asks, nervously fiddling with his GPS.

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