Page 106 of Choosing a Forever
“As long as you’re comfortable, Firefly. That’s all I care about. I love your clothes.”
“Thank you, Tal.”
I dip my head and kiss her, getting lost in the gentle glide of her lips and the soft caress of her tongue as it swipes across my lips.
We pull apart only because the front door swings open, and Kinsley and Harper come barreling in as Kinsley talks a million miles an hour.
“Itold heryou called dibs! But the little slut can’t let anyone else haveanything.Let me rip her a new one, Harp. Please? You know she deserves it.”
Harper’s eyes are wide, bouncing between Kinsley’s scowling face and me and Mack still locked in an embrace.
Finally, she looks down and shakes her head. “It’s fine, Kins. I’m not… He didn’t want me anyway or he would have asked.”
Kinsley stomps her foot with her hands balled into fists. She opens her mouth to say something, but Mack beats her to it. “Woah, woah, woah. What are we talking about? Why are we so heated? Kinsley, we don’t slut shame, okay? That’s purity culture bullshit, and we don’t subscribe to it here.”
Kinsley scowls, scoffing as she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. “Ashlynn Nelson was posting stories with Jeremy Newsom talking about how he asked her to prom!”
Who?
“Okay…” Mack starts, “and these people are important because…”
“Jeremy Newsom? The guy Harper was paired with in the musical? The one she has ahugecrush on? The one who gives her Capri-Suns when her blood sugar is low? Ring a bell?”
I cough to cover my laugh. Is this how Mack and I acted at this age? Was everything the end of the world?
“Right. Harper, I’m sorry Jeremy asked Ashlynn to prom but—”
“You don’t get it! Jeremy told Michael who told Charity who toldmehe was going to ask Harper, butAshlynnsnagged her claws into him first and promised if he took her, she’d let him soak on prom night.”
Oh my gosh. What ishappening right now?
Mack pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head, then opens her mouth to speak, but Kinsley looks at me. “Soaking, if you didn’t know, is when a guy puts his—”
“Nope. I don’t want to hear you explain it.” Mack holds up her hand and shakes her head, visibly cringing at the explanation.
I clear my throat. “I’m old but notthatold, Kinsley. I know what soaking is.” I turn my attention to Harper. “I’m really sorry Jeremy is a bit of a douche. It sounds like he’s not the kind of guy you want to go to prom with, anyway.”
Harper shrugs, tracing the toe of her sneaker on the hardwood floor. “It’s not a big deal. It’s not like he was my boyfriend.”
“But it can still hurt, Harp. And your feelings are valid. I know it probably feels like the end of the world right now, but like Talmage said, he’s a bit of a douche. Next year, you’ll find someone even better to go to prom with,” Mack says, walking towards Harper with her arms open.
Harper only hesitates for a second before she wraps her arms around Mack’s waist in a tight hug. Harper’s face is to me, and I see a single tear track down her cheek.
Kinsley, clearly feeling left out, hugs Mack from behind. “I’ll kick him in the balls if he ever hurts your feelings again,” she whispers, making them all laugh. Kinsley lifts her head up and turns to look at me. “Get in here, Tal. This is a family group hug.”
Tears burn behind my eyes as I walk over and wrap all three girls in an embrace. Another puzzle piece settles in my chest as warm contentment spreads through me.
Whatever happens today at my parents’, whatever the future holds, these three are my family now, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they’re happy, healthy, and thriving.
Chapter 37
Mackenzie
19 years old…
The sting of the needle makes me jolt, and Lizzie scoffs from the chair next to me.
“You’re such a baby,” she teases.
