“Look at us, all happy and shit,” I said, easing the tension. It was clear Lo knew more than she let on, but she wasn’t gonnaquestion us on it. “Want to grab lunch tomorrow near your office? We can try that salad place.”
“You and me?” Lo asked, hope on her face. “I’d love that. We could play our game. It’s been a while.”
“What game?” Mack asked, her cute head tilting to the side.
“The make-up-stories game or the dare-and-eat game?”
“Either one. Let’s see how creative we’re feeling that day.” Lo’s eyes sparkled, the idea of a challenge spurring her on.
“Sick.” I held out a fist, and she bumped it. “Now excuse us, we have some tips to frost.”
“You’re both ridiculous.” She grinned, her and Mack communicating without words. Girls were wild with their telepathy. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to this. I need to grab my salad and go. Be ready for that tattoo tonight, Mack.”
“I’m born ready, baby. Summer Mack fears nothing.” She puffed out her chest.
“Obviously, because why else would you dogreen?”
“The list said a weird color!”
“Why not rainbow then?”
“Oh.” Mack deflated. “Fuck. That’s a way better idea.”
Lo winked. “You could always add in more colors, just saying. If you bums don’t have anything to do… go get more.”
She tapped the doorframe before she left, and I swore both Mack and I held our breath. Her footsteps thudded into the kitchen, then out the front door. “Jesus.” Mack gripped the edge of the counter, bending over and sighing for a full minute. “I hate this.”
“Lying to her?” I stood and rubbed her back.
“Yes. Keeping this from her. I should tell her, but I don’t want to upset her or hurt her. She’s said so many people used her to get to you, and even though I had a crush on you at one point, she knew I never friended her to get to you. That’s…I would never. We never even talked!”
“Wait.”Crush on me.I knew she thought I was hot, most girls did, but a crush? “Tell me about this crush right now.”
“Oh.” Her face caught up to her head, and just like that, she was red as a tomato. “I said that. Shit. Uh, it was minor. Just a little thing I had.”
I grinned. “Doesn’t sound minor.”
Had.I’d address that later.
“Dean, please.”
“Did you say that to yourself and touch yourself, thinking about me? How big was this crush, Mallinson?”
“Yousuck.” She pushed off the counter and shoved me away. “It’s not there anymore, okay? It’s gone. I got over it when I realized nothing would ever happen because you’re out of my league. It was silly.”
“Wait. No. Stop.” I held up a hand, her words slowly taking root.Out of my league. It’s not there anymore.“I’m not out of your league, Mackenzie. Do you believe those words?”
“Dean. You’re the hottest person on our campus! You’re on billboards! I’ve seen how you flirt and work a room. You have hundreds of girls ready to be with you if you so much as breathed. You didn’t see me that way for three years, so it’s a safe thing to assume I’m not in your league.”
“Mackenzie,” I barked, using a tone I hadn’t with her before. Her words pissed me the fuck off. More than I would’ve guessed. My adrenaline spiked, and I clenched my hands in fists to channel it somehow. “Never put yourself down like that in front of me again. You are fucking incredible, and I’m honestly pissed right now.”
I walked out of the bathroom and into the hall just to pace and use energy. My breathing came out hard, like I sprinted, butfuck.She saw me that way. She thought I was some guy who would never pay attention to her, even when she was the best.
“Dean, it’s not a big deal. I’m not upset or anything. It was just the silly crush I had.”
“Having a crush on me is silly? That’s what you’re saying?”
“Thinking I used to have a chance with you in any capacity was silly.” She swallowed. “That’s what I meant. I had to stop my crush because its hard liking someone who never paid you any attention. You are very crush-worthy, if that’s what has you angry.”
