He laughs again. “I’ll sign up for that ski team if you open your email.”
“I’ll open it once the competition is over.”
“After I submit the sign-up form.”
“Fine,” I relent, not feeling like arguing anymore today. “Just let me stay here a little longer.”
Wrapped up in you, where it’s safe.
24
Henri
Do you have any tequila?” I ask as I stare at the redCheck Admissions Statusbutton in front of me. My laptop rests on the kitchen island opposite Liam who is typing on his across from me as he finishes filling out the forms Juniper sent his way once he agreed to sign on for the ski event. “I think I need a shot.” My gaze darts over the kitchen, searching to no avail.
And I didn’t see any alcohol around when we were putting up the groceries either.
“It’s three in the afternoon.” Liam quirks a brow.
“We’re on vacation. It doesn’t count.”
“We can steal some champagne once this is done,” he says and finally looks up from his screen. “I’m ready if you are.”
“Can you just press it?” I start to shove my laptop his way, but he stops me.
“You can do it. It’s just a button.”
A button that will determine the course of the rest of my life. When the hell did we give technology so much power? Take me back to the days when we got thick-ass acceptance letters soI could at least manage my expectations before tearing open a seal.
There’s a quickclickfrom Liam’s keyboard. “See? Easy.”
With a deep inhale, I screw my eyes shut and jam my finger into the trackpad. Cracking an eye open, I groan. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I have to log in again. I just did that shit.”
Liam rounds the counter and looks over my shoulder at my screen, resting his chin on my shoulder as he does. “I guess your fate is highly sensitive information that needs to be protected at all costs.”
It’s really hard to glare at someone who’s pressed against your back, but still, I make a valiant effort.
His arms band around me. “Fine. Even I have to admit that’s just fucking cruel.”
I type in my login information again and click.
Henrietta Elm,
We are pleased to welcome you into the Master’s of Counselling, Mental Health Concentration.
I scan the rest of the page until I reach the bottom. “In addition to standard need-based aid, the Psychology department has decided to offer you one of the available assistantship positions, wherein tuition and fees will be waived.” Holy shit. I never planned for anything beyond the basic need-based aid. “I did it! I fucking did it!” I spin in Liam’s arms, grab his face, and plant a kiss on him, unable to contain the pure relief washing over me.
“Yeah, you did,” Liam says when I pull away.
“I’m going to need to pay my deposit and register for classes. I need to tell my mom andfuck,I need to call Iris and tell her that she was right, but also, we need to celebrate. And—”
Liam stops me with a finger on my lips. “No, what you need to do is stop and be proud of yourself. Everything else can wait.”
He’s right. I can finally relax as I take the next step toward the stability I crave. And it’s terrifying. There will be classmates I see every week, people who will get to truly know me. But because of the smiling man here with me, I’m finally not overwhelmed at the thought of it.
Because I’m Henrietta Fucking Elm. I work my ass off and make stupid dirty jokes and like clothes more than most people and I have really big feelings for Liam Hughes that I can’t say out loud.
It hits me like a knife piercing through my heart. This is supposed to be just sex. Ineedit to be just sex and good memories.
