Page 72 of Desperate Pucker
“Friends who make out and sleep in the same bed,” Bella teases.
I roll my eyes and chuckle.
“Honestly, being friends feels like a big step given how much we disliked each other for the past couple of months.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Bella says. “But I hated Braden when I first met him. We clashed constantly. Then we realized we had dynamite chemistry in the bedroom, so we started hooking up. And now look at us. Engaged.”
“That’s me and Theo too,” Maya says.
I look between her and Bella. I can’t imagine ever being engaged or married. Just the thought has my stomach in knots.
“It’s okay if you’re skittish about commitment,” Maya says, as if she can read my mind. “I was too. I thought I’d never, ever get married, but then I met Theo. And he changed my mind in the best way.”
I’m happy that she found the love of her life…but I can’t ignore that uneasy feeling that digs through the pit of my gut when I think about ever getting married.
“You guys are going to freak her out with all this talk about engagements and getting married,” Ingrid says. “She spent one night with Ryker. Go easy on her.”
“It’s okay,” I say. “It’s just…it’s not only my ex that makes me skittish about all this.”
I take a breath, nervous to tell them more. But they’ve been such supportive friends to me. I owe it to them to be honest about my feelings.
“My parents were never married,” I say. “I was born as a result of their affair.”
“Oh my gosh,” Ingrid says.
“I’m sorry, Madeline,” Dakota says.
I shake my head. “It’s just hard to have a lot of faith in romance when my history is what it is. I’m the product of an affair. My one and only boyfriend cheated on me.”
“Does Ryker know about all this?” Ingrid asks softly.
I nod. “We talked about it while he was taking care of me. He was really understanding about all of it.”
“He’s a good guy,” Dakota says. They all nod along.
I eat a strawberry. “I really like him,” I finally say. “I think that’s what’s so scary. The last time I liked someone, my got heart ripped to shreds.”
“That’s totally understandable,” Ingrid says. She flashes a reassuring smile.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean to freak you out talking about our relationships,” Maya says.
I smile at her and Bella. “It’s okay. Really. It’s nice knowing that things worked out for you guys.”
We finish eating while they catch me up on what’s been going on with them the past couple of days. After a couple of hours,they get up to leave. I hug them and thank them again for coming over.
When I finish cleaning up, I glance at my phone and see a message from Ryker. I’m smiling instantly.
Ryker: Glad you liked the Coke. How are you feeling?
Me: Tons better. I felt well enough to eat pho and fruit for lunch.
Ryker: Good girl
My tummy flips. I really,reallylike it when he calls me that.
Me: How are you feeling after not getting enough sleep?
Ryker: Just fine. I’ll get a nap in before the game.
