Page 76 of Exes That Puck
I take a sip and consider. “Six. It’s not great coffee, but it tastes like fall.”
“See?” Zeke grins. “Reasonable.”
“What did you give it?” I ask him.
“Seven. I’m easy to please.”
We spend the rest of my break debating the merits of various holiday drinks. Ava is civil, even warm at moments, though there’s still a subdued quality to her that wasn’t there before. The conversation flows easily, and I find myself relaxing in a way I haven’t around Zeke in public for months.
After work, I text him while walking to my car.
Kara:Thanks for not... you know
Zeke: Proud of me?
I send back the pinching fingers emoji, and he responds with a laughing face.
Back in the dorm, Payton’s spread across her bed with textbooks and highlighters everywhere.
“How was work?” she asks without looking up.
“Good. Quiet.” I drop my bag and stretch. “What’s all this?”
“Studying. But also, Tori has a date tonight and asked me and Emma to spy on them in case she needs to bail.” She grins. “Want to come be creepy with us?”
I laugh. “That sounds like fun but no. I had work, and I have so much homework.”
“You’re no fun anymore.” But she’s smiling as she says it. “You know what though? You seem happy lately. Like, actually happy, not just pretending. So I’m happy for you, Kare bear.”
I snicker at the nickname. “Thanks, Pay bae. That means a lot.”
She smiles, turning back to her work. “Now if only I could find the answer to this question. Argh! It’s wracking my brain.”
My phone buzzes with a text from Ava.
Ava:Come over for dinner tonight. I’m making Zeke cook, and he’s horrible at it.
Kara: Count me in.
I open my laptop and knock out a few assignments. Then I grab my jacket and head over.
Zeke’s house smells like garlic and something burning when I arrive. I find him in the kitchen, frowning at a pot of what looks like very sad pasta.
“Pinterest sucks,” he says by way of greeting.
“What was it supposed to be?”
“Lemon garlic pasta with herbs. Simple, they said. Foolproof, they said.”
Ava appears from the living room. “Sadness and disappointment.”
Zeke offers me a forkful, and I open my mouth for him.
“It’s not that bad,” I say, but I have to work to keep my expression neutral.
Westley emerges from his room, takes a bite, and looks at Zeke like he’s crazy. He shakes his head and then disappears down the hall.
“We’re ordering pizza,” Ava announces.
