I nodded slowly, trying to think of a response, but the words “we’re dating”were looping in my head on repeat, making it hard to think straight.
“So we’re really dating, then?”
“Hope. Of course, we’re dating.”
“We never actually established that,” I pointed out. “We kind of skipped a few things.” I glanced down at our hands. “Am I really your girlfriend now?”
He laughed, throwing his head back against theheadrest. “Yes, you’re my girlfriend, Hope.” He sobered just slightly. “If that’s what you want.”
I nodded, my cheeks warming even more. “Yes. It is.” Then I imagined Macey finding out and the absolute freak out she was going to have. “But, maybe let’s wait to tell everyone for a bit. I don’t know if I can handle the massive Q&A I’m going to get when I tell Macey.”
“That’s probably wise,” Jay said, stifling a smile.
“Alright. So we go in and act as if nothing has changed.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He leaned across the console. “But just one thing before we go in.”
He closed the distance between us, his mouth meeting mine, and all coherent thought vanished.
I made a small noise in the back of my throat and reached up, my fingers naturally threading into his dark curls. He cupped my face and kissed me for thirty spectacular seconds before pulling away.
“Sorry,” he said, his eyes still on my lips. “I just had to do that.”
I was still recovering when he got out of the car and came around to open my door.
“After you,” he said, cool as a cucumber.
I stood, using the car to steady myself, and I swear I heard him chuckle under his breath.
At the door, he let go of my hand and stepped ahead to pull it open.
I walked in first.
I headed toward the break room like I always did, trying to pretend everything was normal and that my boyfriend wasn’t walking beside me.
Before turning down the hall to his office, Jay caughtmy eye. He gave me a small, almost secret smile and then disappeared.
Macey and Tyler were already in the break room when I walked in. Macey was telling an animated story while Tyler listened, scrolling on his phone.
“Hey, Hope,” Tyler said when he spotted me.
“Hope! I was just asking Ty if he thinks it’s a good idea to go out on a second date with a guy who plays the mandolin?”
“The mandolin is a beautiful instrument, Macey,” Tyler said. “Why would that be a bad thing?”
“It’s amandolin, Ty. A mandolin.”
I stifled a laugh as I put my things into my locker.
Macey bounced over to my side, clearly ready to continue, but then she paused, her eyes narrowing. “Huh.”
“What?” I asked, closing my locker door. She was staring at me intensely now.
She squinted. “You look… different.”
I blinked. “Different how?” My heart rate sped up.
“I don’t know.” She tilted her head. “Brighter. Or?—”
