Mason Kanesniffedme… and helikedit? I’m not making that up, right? The closing of the eyes, the hum… He liked my natural scent. I read an article not long ago mentioning how the right person for you would be drawn to you at a subconscious level due to the pheromones you produce.
My jaw hangs agape as I try to wrap my brain around the fact that my best friend put his nose to my neck and sniffed me.And he was pleased,my internal voice reminds me.
Something invades my mouth at that moment, and my gag reflexes are immediately triggered. “Agh.” I start coughing and spitting as I move to my knees and place my hands on the ground for steadiness. The heaving and groaning noises are equivalent to the Wicked Witch of the West melting after the water is tossed onto her.My breath escapes me, and I swear I’m about to pass out when a strong hand slaps me on my back a few times and the fly buzzes out of my mouth like it didn’t make a vicious attempt on my life.
Groaning and catching my breath, I collapse onto my side before rolling flat onto my back.
Beside me, Mason roars. “That was… attractive.”
“A fly broke into my mouth. What was I supposed to do?” I groan again, wishing the fly would have murdered me anyway. It’d be better than facing Mason with this heavy weight of embarrassment crushing my chest, severing my blood flow, and causing my cheeks to flush.
Though, to be fair, I legitly couldn’t breathe for a minute there.
I cover my face with my hands. “Why?”
“Broke into your mouth? Interesting word choice, Vroom.” Mason continues to laugh, and I’m a bit peeved he hasn’t checked on me.
“Well, what else do you call it when something unwanted enters your space?”
“You could have said, ‘a fly flew into my mouth.’”
I peek through my fingers to find him sitting next to me, watching me, with a ridiculous smile across his face.Ugh, I might as well face him.It’s not like embarrassing things haven’t happened to me in front of him before. He’s my best guy friend, after all.
Sitting up and leaning against the tree, I reply, “I don’t like the alliteration or switch of tenses of ‘a fly flew’.”
Mason’s eyebrows knit together, and I’m momentarily consumed by his chocolate eyes that match his perfect, fluffy hair. “You’re an odd one.”
I shrug, trying my darndest to no longer think about everything that went down in the past few minutes. “Eh, you love me anyway.”
Mason’s hand approaches my face, and he tilts his head as he tucks a stray lengthy strand of frizzy caramel hair behind my ear. My heart leaps and gallops as his guitar-calloused fingers slide against my cheek, and I’m once again converted to a statue.
“That I do, Vroom. Very much so. You’re my best friend.”
Chapter Two
Karoline - Present
“Three, two, one…” Theworld erupts in firework-induced explosions as couples around me kiss to ring in the new year. White, gold, blue, red, and purple displays of color fill the sky as “Auld Lang Syne” blasts from the speakers inside Lake View, a local restaurant with rooftop seating that overlooks the catfish farm directly outside city limits in Juniper Grove, Mississippi. It’s not the prettiest view in town,but with fireworks popping across the way, it’s quite gorgeous compared to most nights. Twinkle lights are situated around the rooftop and all the cafe-style black wired tables and chairs have been removed so people could use the top as a dance floor and firework-viewing area for the night. But at this moment, instead of dancing, everyone is lip-locking, and I’m crossing my arms and making the same face that a two-year-old trying a lemon for the first time would make.
“See? I told you that you’d have fun.” Chanel Wright, my closest friend, second cousin, and, for all intents and purposes, my partner in crime, swings one arm around my shoulders while downing the rest of her champagne. Her boyfriend, Malik, takes the glass flute away after she finishes.
“The best night of my existence,” I deadpan, shifting my weight to relieve the pressure created from my black stiletto booties. Seriously? What part of my facial expression gave her the idea that I was having fun? Was it the pursed lips, the narrowed eyes, or the crossed arms as I stood uncomfortable as everyone sucked face?
Chanel giggles then hiccups, stumbling sideways, dragging me with her.
“That’s enough for you, babe,” Malik says, snaking an arm around Chanel to steady her as she breaks away from holding on to me. Couplesfinallybegin to unglue themselves, giving me the green light to relax. At least Malik and Chanel only engaged in a lingering press of the lips.
Malik turns to me and asks, “Is she going back to your apartment or to her mom’s?”
I sigh, shoulders dramatically slumping. Malik offers a sympathetic smile but it evaporates when Chanel takes his cowboy hat off his head, revealing his buzz cut black hair that is only a couple of shades darker than his skin. She plops the hat onto her own head with a party-girl “woo.” I scan the areabut nobody is paying attention to us. They are still snuggling close with their partners, laughing with friends, and consuming a little too much alcohol. Everyone is joyfully bringing in the new year except me, Little Miss Anti-Romantic. Itwouldhave been a joyful start to the year if I could have stayed cozied up in my apartment watching the ball drop on the screen while snacking on caramel chocolate popcorn, sipping tea, and sporting fuzzy socks over these stilettos.
“Don’t I make your hat look good, babe?” She beams up at her boyfriend, who shakes his head with a flashing smile that says he’s over her shenanigans but still finds her to be the most adorable human on the planet.
I hope everyone is still ignoring us. Can’t have my cousin getting a reputation. “Okay,” I drag the word out. “We gotta get you home. You can’t be taking your man’s cowboy hat off. Everyone knows whatthatsignifies.”
Malik laughs but remains gentle with his inebriated girlfriend. “You look better than I do wearing it, that’s for sure.” He places a soft kiss on her flushed cheek. “But we do need to get you home.” He turns back to me. “So, your place or Teresa’s?”
“Mine.” I groan at the thought of taking care of a drunk Chanel for the rest of the night, but what else are cousins for? “I’ll take her with me. You can start your long drive home.” Aunt Teresa would kill me for letting Chanel have a couple glasses of champagne. Neither of us drink often, but it’s New Year's, and it’s our first one celebrating at the legal age of twenty-one, so I let her have her fun. I went into the night knowing I’d be the designated driver, which is fine by me. Personally, I think the Baptists are on to something when they say alcohol is the Devil’s drink. That one night three years ago certainly felt like hell…
