Page 14 of Fractured Hearts

“Up to you,” Kai says to Maverick, whose wide eyes are bouncing between us.

He sucks in a steadying breath and nods. “Yeah, okay. Just not here. I don’t think I want him in my space yet.”

I agree, but that makes it harder for me. I have to find somewhere we won’t be overheard or recognized because I know he’s counting everyone’s houses as his space. It’s where he feels comfortable and safe.

“We could video conference,” I suggest. I like the idea of being able to hang up or mute if it gets to be too much.

“No. I think I need to hear it face to face,” Maverick says, Kai nodding in agreement.

“Jason’s house is empty,” Kai says, talking about Cal and Belle’s dad. “He’s at some tech conference in Seattle.”

“He wouldn’t mind?” Maverick asks.

Kai shrugs. “Doubt it. Belle has a key.” He pulls out his phone and shoots off a text to, I’m assuming, Belle. “Good to go,” he says less than a minute later.

I plaster on a fake smile and text the information to Ezra.

Ezra

Does tonight work?

I hold in a frustrated groan. I hate when people I like want something last minute from me. And I don’t like him.

“Tonight?” I ask the room.

“Cal can conference in, so that works,” Kai says, having apparently already been texting him about it. I don’t know when he got so proactive, but I hate that he picked now to show off his new skills.

“Great,” I say and even I can hear the fakeness in my voice. Maverick looks at me with a frown, but I ignore him. I quickly text him the address.

7pm. If you’re late, we leave.

Ezra

Who under the age of fifty sends a thumbs up emoji?

Maverick and Kai have already turned back to their game, but I can see the worry creasing both of their foreheads. No matter what Ezra has to say tonight, it won’t be good, and it’s going to change everything.

thirteen

MAVERICK

The night air is cold where it bites against my skin. I snuggle closer to the warm body next to me. Icy blue eyes meet mine, lips slowly curling into a smile. He’s breathtaking like this, relaxed and happy, the moonlight reflecting in his eyes.

We’ve been lying in the bed of his old pickup truck, nestled together in some musty blankets, just looking up at the stars. It’s our version of a date night anytime we have to come home from college. My parents would never approve, and Ezra wanted to wait to come out to everyone else. Not because he wants to keep me a secret, but because we both know that once we’re out and together in public, my parents will try to separate us.

“Do you think it’ll always be like this?” I rub my cold nose against his before burrowing my face into his neck. I love the way he smells, like fresh air mixed with his spicy cologne.

“Like what?” he asks, pulling me even closer, his big hands running up and down my spine.

“This. This feeling I get whenever I’m near you. The way my skin tingles when you touch me, or my heart races just because you smiled at me. How comfortable and safe I feel just being in your orbit. I don’t know how else to explain what this feeling is, but I don’t want it to go away.” I say all of this into his neck, not wanting to look into his eyes in case he’s not feeling the same way. I hate being vulnerable, but it’s not as scary with him.

Ezra’s quiet for so long I risk looking up at him. He’s smiling that brilliant smile of his. “I love you, too.”

I gasp. We haven’t said those words to each other yet, and even though my instinct is to panic, it never comes.

Love.

Ezra loves me.