I gulp down my guilt. “It’s my fault. I was so in my head, I didn’t even think to call you once I got home. I would have freaked out too.”
“Are you okay?”
I nod, and he kisses the back of my head, and still—still—I feel the distance.
Call it a woman’s intuition, but something’s off, and now looking back on our day, he’s been distant the majority of it.
For the first time in years, I lay in the arms of the love of my life, and I don’t know how to fix what’s wrong.
Graduation Week
Year four of B.Arch is officially behind me. One more to go, and I’ll have my degree in hand, moving to New York City to live my dream life.
Lucky for Nate and Leo, they get to walk across that stage in two days.
Everything they’ve worked for is finally coming together.
It also means Camila will be here soon. She’s flying in with the rest of the family tomorrow morning, and I couldn’t be more excited.
We’ve gotten even closer over the years, and she is one of my best friends, alongside Addie.
It’s going to be a great reunion, having us all together, celebrating our favorite guys, especially when Mase gets here a few hours later.
A loud thud from upstairs snaps me out of my thoughts.
“What’s he doing up there? He hasn’t stopped moving all morning,” I ask Leo.
He shrugs. “No clue,” he mumbles around a spoonful of the chocolate cherry cake I made last night.
I wanted to make Nate something special for his big day, but he’s been so preoccupied that Leo’s almost devoured the whole thing.
“Go check on him.”
Nate’s been off since that stupid frat party, and I’m not in the mood to get into another tiff, especially since this is an important few days for him.
I’ve been chalking it up to graduation nerves, even if my gut still tells me something else is wrong with him.
He insists all is fine, however, if I had a microscope to dissect every part of him, I’d put good money on the fact that I’d find something he’s hiding.
“Not in the mood for his cranky ass today. You’re his girlfriend.”
“You’re his brother,” I counter.
He takes another bite. “But you’re the only one who cares about whatever he’s doing up there.”
“Fine,” I snap, then pull the cake away from him. “But now you don’t get any more of this.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be like that, Maddie.” His big brown eyes give me puppy eyes, begging for their treat.
“Ugh. Fine.” I put the cake back down.
I walk into the bedroom and stop short when I notice Nate frantically packing up his boxes.
His suitcase is half-packed, clothes flung over the bed. His drawers are open and empty, and a tangle of phone chargers and books spills out of his backpack.
It’s a mess, but I also notice something strange. Everything of mine is also packed.
“What the heck is going on here?”
