Page 45 of Finding You

“Same with my date,” Chloe interjected. “We’re both teachers at the elementary school, but he’s not my type. It just made sense to come to the reunion together. Plus…I think he has a crush on Linda Fenley, the art teacher. He’s just too shy to ask her out.”

“But if Evan had been here…” Billie prompted, causing Chloe to roll her eyes.

“I’m kind of in a long-distance relationship with a guy who lives in Baltimore. He couldn’t be here this weekend,” she explained. “So it just made sense to go with a friend.”

“Wow, I don’t know if I’d go to something as big as this with just a friend,” MacKenzie admitted. “I’d probably just stay home.”

“And miss out on all the fun?” Avery asked in disbelief. “That just seems pointless. Just because it’s not a romantic date doesn’t mean you still can’t have some fun.”

“Yeah, well…”

“And yet you’re here with Devin,” Ashlynn reminded her.

“Okay, but they’re totally into each other,” Jade said. “It’s not the same.”

“Maybe, but…they’re still just friends. She’s not staying and this is just a temporary thing, so…”

“Ash, weren’t you the one who left her a bunch of dresses for tonight? What choice did you leave her?” Avery said with a huff. “Geez, you don’t have to make a big deal out of it.”

“I’m not!” Ashlynn countered. “I guess I was just curious why she’d agree to come to this with a friend, but not anything else.”

“Again, you didn’t exactly give her a choice!”

It was obvious the two of them were on the verge of arguing, so MacKenzie had to do something quick to diffuse the situation. “Okay, okay, okay,” she said as she stood between them. “Devin’s not just a friend, okay? I like him. A lot. And it doesn’t matter if this is just temporary, I don’t consider him to be just a friend.” Then she sighed. “He’s like…the perfect guy. I had no idea men like him even existed!”

“Devin really is one of the good guys,” Chloe agreed. “But if you like him so much, why are you still planning on leaving?”

Ugh…this question.

She shrugged. “It’s…it’s complicated. I had a plan and…and…there are things I need to do. I have to figure out where exactly I want my life to be. Stopping in Sweetbriar Ridge wasn’t part of the plan.” Another shrug. “I’ve lived my whole life in the northeast, and I feel like there’s so much more for me to see and do.” Then she let out a long breath. “I need to do this.”

No one commented, they all simply nodded.

And then grabbed her in a group hug.

That’s how Devin found them.

“Um…is everything okay?” he asked.

MacKenzie carefully removed herself from the group and walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist. “How much longer do we need to stay?”

He looked at her friends and then back at her. “Seriously, are you okay?”

She nodded, but tears stung her eyes. “I just…I’d really like to go home now. With you. I’ll stay if you really want to, but…”

Once again, he looked over at the girls and saw the somber looks on their faces, but didn’t comment on it. Instead, he took her by the hand and said goodnight to everyone. Then they went back into the gym to get her purse and say goodbye to everyone else.

Neither said a word on their way out or on the drive home, but once they were in the house, she was the one to break the silence.

“I know it seems crazy considering how much time we’ve spent together this last week, but…I really just wanted to be alone with you. Here.”

Wordlessly, he led her back to his bedroom, where he slowly took off his coat and tie before unbuttoning his shirt. After kicking off his shoes, he came around behind her and lowered the zipper on the back of her dress before kissing his way down her spine.

She felt tingly with need and as he peeled her dress down her body, all she could think was how perfect this was.

He was.

And how she needed to make the most of it before she moved on to whatever else was out there.

---