Page 153 of Well That Happened

But it’s when the sleeping arrangements come up that things really go downhill.

“I’ve got the guest room made up for Rilee,” Caleb’s mom says brightly. “And you boys can share the pull-out downstairs! There are extra pillows and blankets in the linen closet.”

Hunter’s expression is pure murder. “No one’s sharing a bed with me,” he grumbles. “I’m not spooning anyone.”

“You steal covers like a demon,” I mutter.

“Yourun hot, man. It’s like cuddling with a furnace.”

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you.”

Caleb’s mom is still smiling like she doesn’t hear a thing.

Rilee tries not to laugh. Her cheeks are pink, eyes bright, like she’sthis closeto either giggling or combusting.

Later, when no one’s looking, I catch her sneak over to Hunter—hand brushing his arm, soft little touch down his bicep that makes his whole body twitch.

“It’ll be okay,” she whispers, low enough that only I can hear because I’m watching her like I always do.

Then she leans up and kisses his jaw.

It’s fast.

But it affects him.

His shoulders relax half an inch. He still looks miserable, but now it’s amanageablemiserable.

And me?

I just smile to myself.

Because we’re gonna survive this holiday.

Even if it kills us.

Dinner is… chaos in a casserole dish.

Caleb’s mom went all out. Turkeyandham. Sweet potatoes with little marshmallows on top. Homemade rolls. Sparkling cider in stemware like we’re all pretending to be civilized.

Like I don’t want to lay Rilee out on the table and just eat her instead.

She sits between me and Hunter, with Caleb directly across the table.

We’re trying to be normal.

We’re failing.

Badly.

It starts when her knee bumps mine under the table. Not on purpose, probably. But then I leave mine there. Just enough pressure to let her know Ifeltit.

A few minutes later, Caleb reaches for the butter and his fingers brush her wrist. He jerks back like he touched a flame.

Rilee doesn’t move. She justglaresat the casserole.

Hunter sees all of it, of course. His jaw’s so tight he looks like he’s grinding his molars into chalk dust.

Caleb’s dad tries to cut through the awkward. “So! Are you all in the same major?”

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