Page 145 of Lose You Twice

“I’m trying.”

“You’re failing.” I look away fast, cheeks hot. “Go do hockey things.”

“I’m going.”

“You’re still standing here.”

“What can I say?” He shrugs, putting his hands into the pockets of his pants. “I like it when you boss me around.”

I nearly drop the box.

He walks away before I can answer, which is good because I don’t have one. Not a safe one, anyway.

By Thursday, Harlow knows something is up.

She corners me after class with a coffee in each hand, and a lot of questions in her eyes.

“Oh good,” I say. “At least you brought caffeine to fuel your interrogation."

She hands me one of the cups. “Drink.”

We sit on a bench near the quad, as students move around us in clusters, laughing, rushing, complaining about midterms. Harlow watches them for a moment, then looks at me.

“So,” she starts, “you and Kai. You’re either boning my brother again or at least on the path that leads to that.”

I choke. I didn’t expect her to be so direct. Dating Grayson has changed my bestie, not that I’m complaining.

“Subtle,” she says.

“I hate you.”

“You love me. Also, that answered my question.”

“You didn’t ask a question.”

“Because you answered with choking.”

I stare into the coffee cup.

For once, I don’t have a joke ready fast enough.

Harlow goes quiet beside me.

When she speaks again, her voice is softer. “Wren.”

“We’re figuring it out or at least trying to,” I admit. “With me working with the team, it’s a little complicated, but we both know we want to at least try again. A lot of time has passed; the feelings haven’t, though.”

She ponders that for a moment. “Are you happy?”

“I’m scared,” I admit because it’s the truth. “Being around him makes me feel whole in a way I didn’t know I could feel again. Whenever I get time with him, it feels like maybe there’s a bright light at the end of my very, very rainy tunnel of life.”

Harlow squeezes my hand once. “I’m happy for you, both of you. I knew it was only a matter of time once you were back in town, and your need for a job simply moved up the timeline.”

She stands, and apparently we are done sitting. “But if you hurt him, I’ll have to bring you decaf from now on. And if he hurts you…” Her face scrunches. “Well, I’ll have to come up with something new, because I don’t really want to kick my own brother in the balls.”

I laugh, and she pulls me into a hug that smells like coffee and vanilla lip balm.

Friday night becomes chaos at Kai and Grayson’s apartment.