Kiss and Don't Tell(123)

“Thank you,” Max says as I peek my head around the corner to see what it is. Max turns around with a bag in hand.

A very familiar bag.

A bag that makes my mouth water.

“Tacos,” I whisper.

“Did you order?” Max asks.

“No . . . you didn’t?”

He shakes his head and smiles. “Oh, let me guess—lover boy sent them. You better text him. While you do that, I’ll be serving up these tacos on a platter.”

I walk over to my phone and pull up a text thread that’s given me so much joy over the past few days. Something I wasn’t sure I’d feel this close to losing Mom.

Winnie: Tacos? You really know how to cut me deep.

His response is immediate.

Pacey: My mouth was watering while ordering them. I’m jealous.

Winnie: Just the smell alone is giving me all the feels.

Pacey: Take a picture. I want to see what they look like.

Max sets a serving plate on the dining room table and then goes back to the kitchen to grab drinks from the fridge.

“Katherine, lover boy sent tacos,” Max shouts.

“Were they delivered by a stranger?”

“Yes,” Max shouts.

“Enjoy your arsenic,” Katherine shoots back.

“More for us,” Max says with a smile.

I walk over to the table and take a picture for Pacey. I send it with a drooling emoji.

I sit down as my phone buzzes.

Pacey: Damn, I’m really jealous now. Especially since I have some shit salad for dinner.

I pick up a taco and take a bite while texting him back with the other hand.

Winnie: Salad? That’s boring. Why a salad? Don’t tell me Doc has you on some special meal plan.

Pacey: Unfortunately, he does.

Winnie: Does he know about your cider consumption?

Pacey: No, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t go shouting that around.

Winnie: Lol, so I’m going to retract my Sunday morning announcement from the paper, then.

Pacey: Do people even get the Sunday paper anymore?

Winnie: I don’t think so.

Max pokes my arm. “Look at you all giddy.”

I take another bite of my taco. “I’m not giddy.”

“Yes, you are. Your face is the definition of giddy.”

Ignoring him, I go back to my texts.

Pacey: I would say you’re showing your age, but we both know that’s not the truth.

Winnie: As an old man yourself, you would know.

Pacey: I found a gray hair this morning.

Winnie: No, you didn’t.

Pacey: Right by my ear. I showed Posey, and he choked on his own saliva from laughter.

Winnie: Still don’t believe you. It’s probably just a really blond piece of hair.

Pacey: You know, that’s exactly what I’m going to call it. My platinum strand.

Winnie: Lol! How incredibly fancy of you.

Pacey: That’s me, a fancy fuck.

I snort and then glance at Max, who sports a knowing look on his face. He doesn’t have to say anything—he just needs to glance at me and I know exactly what he’s thinking. I really like this man. I forgive him, too.

Pacey and I are supposed to be together.





Pacey: Hey, how was your day?

I roll to my side on my bed and text Pacey back. It’s been a long day and I was starting to worry that I wasn’t going to hear from him. That should tell me all I need to know.

Winnie: Hey. It was long.

Pacey: Yeah? Anything you want to talk about?

Winnie: Nothing bad, just spent a very long time online with a recruiter.

Pacey: A recruiter, huh? That sounds interesting.

Winnie: It was. Apparently, even though I don’t have a college degree, I have enough experience and proof of my work to possibly run a consulting business on building a proper reading and learning environment for kids.

Pacey: What? Seriously? Winnie, that’s pretty damn cool.

I smile proudly.

Winnie: It is, actually. There’s a company that’s looking for someone like me with my experience and background. They’re putting together packages of programs and environments to sell nationally to schools, libraries, and bookstores. The hope is to inspire interactive and creative play that’s been designed around books, and that it’ll encourage children to read. I have an interview tomorrow.

Pacey: Damn, girl, that’s pretty badass. Are you excited?

Winnie: Sort of. I don’t feel qualified, at all. Max thinks otherwise. I really don’t want to get my hopes up, but the job is working remotely, not working with kids directly. It’s about bettering their lives, which is nice, and it’s mostly all online consulting. It seems pretty chill, but fun. Pay isn’t superb, but I feel as if that doesn’t matter when I love what I’m doing.

Pacey: Could not agree more. I’m proud of you, Winnie.

Tears well up in my eyes.

Winnie: Thank you.

Pacey: Well, good luck. I know you’ll dominate.





I shut my laptop and then reach into my shirt and pull off my bra, flinging it to the ground.

God, I’ve never sweated so much in my entire life.

“Are you done?” Max asks from the other side of my bedroom door.

“Yup.”