Free Flirting With Maybe by Wendy Higgins Page A

but she waved him back down.
    “I can handle it. You look like you had a rough night.”
    Ryan stood when he saw her struggling on her tiptoes to slide a can on the third shelf. He took it from her and pushed it in.
    “Thanks,” she said, rubbing his back in a way that made him feel like a little boy again. It was a nostalgic feeling, making him open up to her.
    “We broke up.”
    He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, and she stopped what she was doing.
    “Oh, Ryan. I’m sorry.” She came over and put her hands on his crossed forearms. “I know you’re hurting, sweetie, but I think it’s really for the better.”
    He gave her a nod, but felt bad accepting her affection. He didn’t deserve it.
    “I was going to go out to dinner with the girls, but I think I’ll stay home tonight.”
    “No,” he told her. “You should go. I’m not in the best mood, so I’m just gonna hang out in my room.”
    He ignored her sad expression.
    “Well . . . if you’re sure. I’ll bring you something, ’kay?”
    He gave her another nod and she lifted onto her toes to kiss his cheek before he went to his room.
    Half an hour later he heard his mom leave. Ryan wanted to sleep but he couldn’t relax. He lay facedown on his mattress, digging his fingers in his hair against his scalp and squeezing his eyes shut as hard as he could. The longer he lay there thinking, the angrier he became. At himself. At Brooke. At life.
    And then his phone binged with a text message.
    Ryan’s heart went straight to his throat and began thumping a heavy rhythm. It was from Brooke. He fumbled to open it.
     
    Ry?
     
    He now fumbled to reply.
     
    I’m here.
     
    Thump, thump, thump.
     
    I’m here too.
     
    He jumped from his bed and ran to the front door, yanking it open. Brooke stood there looking more like herself, casual, less makeup. Jackie sat in her car, watching them. Ryan couldn’t bring himself to smile or be cheerful. When he spoke, the anger he’d been seething in all day came through.
    “I didn’t think you were coming,” he said.
    She blinked and looked down. “Yeah. I would have come sooner but . . .”
    “But what?” He waited for her excuse—her reason for ditching him one last time before she returned to school and never saw him again.
    “I was scared,” she whispered.
    Her genuine reply stole some of the bitter wind from his sails, but not all of it.
    “Why’s Jackie waiting?” he asked. “You planning to say your good-byes and run?”
    She bit her lip, eyes darting as if she was embarrassed. “I didn’t know how serious you were, and I didn’t want to be stuck. . . .”
    Now he completely deflated. And he wondered why she was really there. Out of obligation for some promise she’d made last night?
    He lifted his chin at Jackie and said, “I got her. I’ll take her home.”
    Brooke gave him a grateful smile, seeming relieved.
    “You kids be good,” Jackie called before driving off.
    Before they moved from the foyer he asked, “Why are you really here?”
    She didn’t seem surprised or offended by the question, only scared. He’d never been like this toward her before, but he’d also never been so close to what he wanted, and he had to make sure they were on the same page. He wanted everything, so if this was just a hookup for her, he wasn’t sure he could go through with it, no matter how much his body would disagree.
    “I wanted to see you,” she said, fiddling with her fingers. “I feel stupid about last night.”
    “I’m not holding you to anything you said last night, Brooke. And you don’t need to feel stupid. It was just me.”
    “I know, but I felt something different with you last night, and then I took it too far. Oh, my gosh, I’m babbling.”
    She swallowed. Her hands trembled. The sight of her nervousness made Ryan experience a surge of confidence like he’d never felt before. All traces of the Kid disappeared. Good riddance, Ryan thought.
    He took her fingers