Kiss and Break Up (Magnolia Cove, #1)(67)

“That’s a tad embarrassing.” I’d need to make sure I stayed a bit classier next time. “So have either of you finished the history assignment?”

“I did last week,” Willa chirped.

Of course, she had.

“Nope, I’m starting it tonight. Let me guess, you’ve done at least half?” Daphne asked me.

“Actually, no.” I peeked over at where my laptop sat under a heap of clothes and books on my desk. “Maybe I’ll start it later.” Or maybe I’d take another shower and another nap to avoid having to face Mom again.

“Did Jackson go to the party last night?” Willa asked, sounding cautious.

“God, Willa. I already know,” Daphne said, exasperated. “Everyone knows.”

Willa made a choking sound, then coughed. “Shit. I just got lemonade up my nose.”

“How does that even happen?” Daphne asked.

“Because you made me choke.”

I smirked at the ceiling, my feet swaying as I lifted my legs. I decided to put her out of her misery. “I didn’t see him.”

“Neither,” Daphne said.

“Weird,” Willa said. “He wasn’t home last night.”

“Are you guys like serious or something?”

Daphne snorted. “What Peggy meant to ask was is your secret relationship the real deal, or are you just messing around because it’s hot and taboo.”

I guffawed. “That is so not what I said.”

“But we want to know, right?” Daphne laughed. “Come on, Willa. Just tell us.”

She was quiet a minute. “I’m still trying to process the fact everyone knows.”

“Well, process quicker. I need to charge my phone soon.”

“Bitch,” Willa joked. “We’ve been official for a while.” Her voice quietened. “Not that it matters.”

“How long is a while?”

I loved how Daphne interrogated. Well, at times like this. It meant I didn’t have to scrounge up the courage to ask things.

“Few months, maybe. But it’s been going on longer than that.” I heard a door closing before she continued. “We just didn’t know what to do.”

“You’re not blood related. What’s the big deal besides your parents?”

“Um, our parents.” She sighed. “Not to mention, we have the same surname. It’s not exactly normal.”

“It isn’t,” I said before I could stop myself. “I mean, I get it, but like Daphne said, you’re not actually related so it’s not that bad.”

“We have pictures together of us crawling. We gave up our pacifiers at the same time. Our parents used to try to pass us off as twins.” She groaned. “They’d never, ever be okay with it.”

“Well, duh,” Daphne said. “But you’ve only got like eight months until school is out, and then you guys will be getting ready to leave for college.”

My eyes widened. “Oh, please tell me you’re applying for the same colleges.”

“Look who’s excited now,” Daphne said.

“Shut up,” I snarked. “I need the excitement. Don’t judge.”

Willa laughed. “It’s okay. And yeah, we’ve applied for some together.”

We wrapped up talking about Jackson when Willa heard a noise outside her room and started whispering. My eyes were beginning to grow heavy, so I hung up, mumbling something about seeing them on Monday before I fell asleep with my phone hanging from my fingertips.





Dash



The Silver Bridge hotel wasn’t the finest establishment in the area, but it did let me pay cash, so I booked a room, ordered a shit ton of food, and began my new life as a binge-eating, heartbroken, daytime TV watching champion.

Well, I don’t want your damn love. Not now. Not tomorrow. Not in ten years.

Those words had shattered me where I’d stood, and I’d left most of me behind when she’d shoved me out the door. It was easier that way. To breathe, to eat, to sleep without the constant turbulence those broken pieces would shake alive.

Making my own new place in the world, where there were no memories of Peggy and no constant reminders of what I’d ruined, was the best idea I could’ve had, quite frankly.

And so that was why I was pissed when my scumbag friends somehow tracked me down.

The phone barked, and I picked it up, confused that it was ringing. I put it down to possibly owing the front desk some money, seeing as I’d only paid for a week. It was now Monday, and I needed to haul my ass to an atm.

“There’s someone here asking for you—hey!”

“Dash, what room number?” came Jackson’s voice.

After I’d gotten over my shock, I smirked. “Take a wild guess.” Then I hung up, leaving the phone off the cradle.

It took him five minutes, which was kind of sad, really, but he eventually found me. Three thuds smacked on the door. I took my time getting up. “I don’t want none of your beef sausage, Larry James. I’ve already told you, I’m straight.”

“What the fuck?” Great, Lars was here too.

“No, I’m not down to fuck. Females. I like females.” I drew the words out, straight-faced. “But I have this friend back home who might like your number. He goes by the name interfering ass—”