I didn’t really expect her to circle her answer on the paper, but she grabs a pen from my desk and circles her answer, folding the paper back up before handing it to me. I unfold the paper, a tiny hint of uncertainty creeping in until I find yes circled multiple times.
I exhale, looking up just in time to notice her as she literally jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my hips and hooking them behind my back. “Yes. You can be my boyfriend.”
Our food arrives and we eat it on my bed, crisscrossed and facing each other. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my life.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kennedy
Sometimes being an only child is the best. For example, right now, I’m spread out in the backseat all by myself, unbothered and uncramped, while we’re on the way to Will’s family cabin in the upper peninsula for our annual post-Christmas getaway.
The Taylor family is already at the cabin; they arrived a few days ago, heading there right after Will’s away game against the University of Minnesota. The cabin is huge, more like a mansion, but because it’s made with timber, I guess it counts as a cabin. It’s on a huge 72 acre plot of land complete with a barn the size of a hockey rink, a hot tub, a pond for skating in the back, seven bedrooms, and an open concept living room/ kitchen.
Will:I can’t wait to see you
Unfortunately, between Will’s away game schedule and finals, we’ve only seen each other one time since we made itofficial three weeks ago. But he has the next four days off until his next game and we’ve already planned out how we’re going to tell everyone tomorrow. Today, the 26th, is Will’s dad, Paul’s, birthday which is why I said we should wait until tomorrow. I don’t want to ruin his birthday if Miranda reacts poorly.
Will:They’re all gone :(
His message is followed with a shirtless mirror selfie showcasing his delicious chest and muscular abs and not a single mark on his skin to be seen.
Kennedy:Don’t worry, you’ll have more by tomorrow
Will:that literally gave me a boner
We text back and forth for the next several hours until my dad finally turns down the mile long driveway to their cabin. Lucy and Paul rush out the front door when we park to greet us with hugs. I leave my bag in the trunk, knowing my dad or Paul will carry it in for me eventually and head inside.
The house is very quiet inside, and I’m a little disappointed when Will isn’t waiting for me inside the front door. Neither is Miranda. I wander up the stairs and into Miranda’s usual room. Her stuff is in there, a suitcase tucked along the wall by an unmade bed, but no Miranda.
I open the door to the room next to hers, the room I always take, and find it to be identical to how I remember: ginormous bed in the middle of the room, so big it takes up the majority of the walking space and requires sideways shimmying along the sides to move about, a beautiful wooden bedframe, and the fluffiest most cloud-like deep emerald green duvet I’ve ever seen. And a sexy hockey player laying sideways on the bed holding up a printed out picture of a mistletoe above his head.
Will is off the bed and picking me up in an instant, crashing his lips to mine, hungry and frantic. “I. Missed. You. So.Much,” he says, punctuating each word with a kiss somewhere on my face.
“I missed you too.”
He sets me down allowing me to unzip my winter coat and toss it on top of my bed. I’m feeling much less strangled without that huge thing on. I kick off my boots, tossing them into the corner of the room before turning toward him again. “We should probably head down stairs. My dad’ll be bringing up my suitcase any minute.”
He deflates just a little, “Fine. But I’m sneaking in here tonight.”
I tap his chest with my palm, “Deal.”
Will leaves my room first and I follow a few seconds later, just in case anyone is in the hall. Miranda comes out of the golf simulator room after she hears my dad’s boisterous voice and heavy stomps, greeting me with a giant hug. Thirty minutes later, Miranda and I are in the hot tub out back while the parents are getting started on dinner and Will is…somewhere. I’m not exactly sure where Will is.
I wear the one piece I stole from Miranda a few months ago for the pool party, feeling much less self conscious now than I did then. The swimsuit is very cheeky and shows off a considerable amount of ass and cleavage, but it covers my stomach and the padding is sewn in, keeping my nipple piercings from being obvious.
We chat about Christmas–I got a new Polene bag and she got a new putter. The two of us stay out there talking and catching up for about an hour before Paul gives us the fifteen minute warning for dinner.
Even though the snow’s been cleared off the back porch, my toes are so cold they’re burning by the time I make it inside.
I change out of my wet swim suit and into leggings and Will’s oversized hoodie as fast as I can before heading backdownstairs to the table. I take the empty seat next to Will, enjoying the secret between us when his gaze locks on the logo of the hoodie I’m wearing. Dinner is the usual affair of lasagna and garlic bread. Under the table Will bumps my foot with his until we're hooking ankles together like we’re fourteen. For desert we have an apple pie.
After pie we all move into the living room for Paul’s birthday presents. Will comes out of the garage with a big sheet over something giant between his hands and sets it down in front of his dad. “So this is from both of us.”
“Happy birthday, dad,” Miranda says, standing next to Will as Paul inspects the mysterious object before him.
“We didn’t know how to wrap it.”
Paul ignores him, standing up and whipping the sheet off to reveal a new golf bag. Paul gasps with shock, hugging both Will and Miranda at the same time. “I have the best kids,” he says, into the top of Miranda’s head.
