Page 110 of Broken Hearts
I take a sip of the coffee while I give my brain a chance to work through the puzzle that is Maverick. “What?”
“We’re going to drive to Minnesota and you’re going to make the big gesture.”
“That sounds…”
“Awesome,” he says as I say, “Like a terrible idea.”
“Come on. I live for this shit. The look on his face will be worth the two-day drive.”
“I can’t ask him to come back.”
“Then don’t, but you have to tell him how you feel.”
I can’t believe I’m considering it.
“Minnie-soda bound?” He asks, dancing in place.
33
Sienna
Road-tripping with Maverick is as fun as you’d imagine. He has the best playlists, at every gas stop he loads up on tons of candy and junk food, and he doesn’t let me get too in my head and convince myself that this was all a terrible idea and we should turn around.
Okay, he doesn’t stop that last thing from happening, but he does laugh and make me feel better when I voice all the really awful thoughts churning in my brain.
On the morning of our second day, I see a sign for South Dakota. “Do you think we could make a stop?”
“Yeah, we’re about three hours away from Rhett. You want to have brunch and talk about the epic way you’re going to confess your love?”
I stare at him unblinking. “No, but now I’m worried just saying the words is going to be really lame.”
He chuckles. “Where do you want to stop?”
“Elias is training nearby. I’ve never met him and we’re so close.” Also, I think I need a pep talk from my best friend because my stomach is in knots.
Maverick hands me his phone. “Punch in the address.”
“Thank you for doing this. All of it. Talking me into it and driving. Elias is going to lose his mind.”
“How’d you meet Elias?”
“YouTube.” I grin. “He was documenting his journey, living and skating with long QT. I stumbled onto it right after I was diagnosed and we exchanged some messages, that led to texts, which led to us talking every day, sometimes multiple times a day. He’s kind of my best friend.”
“Always strictly friends?” He studies me carefully.
“Always. You’ll understand when you meet him. He’s impossible not to like. Kind of like you.”
“Throwing me off with a compliment or is that sincere?” He shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter, I accept.”
When we get to the arena where Elias is training, I end up having to call him so we can get in. Auburn, South Dakota may be a small, nameless city, but the arena is big and grand and heavily monitored.
“What? How?” He stops six feet away and then rushes forward and crushes me in a hug. “You’re real.”
“That would have been some impressive catfishing.” We gawk at each other for a few minutes. His dark hair curls around his ears and his brown eyes are a shade lighter than they’d seemed through the phone. He’s tall, which I knew, and has that lanky but strong build of a typical male figure skater.
He’s the same in person, and any weirdness I felt at finally meeting him in person is quickly dissolved when I discover it’s just as easy to be with him in person as it is on the phone.
I angle my body to introduce the guy at my side. “This is Johnny Maverick.”
