"Is she still hot?" Leave it to Jett to break up the sentimental moment. Abbie punches him in the arm.
"Ew, you pig!" She jokes. We all crack a laugh.
"Who was the mutual friend?" Abbie asks.
"His name is Maverick. We work together. He told me his girlfriend has a best friend I'd be perfect with, but he never told me either of their names." Abbie and my mom coo out 'awws,' but something in Jett's face changes.
"The girlfriend, is it Izzy?" He asks, his tone even but something pained behind it. I nod.
"Yeah, it's Izzy."
I can see that Jett wants to say something but stays silent for a beat. I know how it feels to want to process your own thoughts, so I let him. Abbie breaks the silence.
"What is it, Jett? You look like someone stabbed you in the chest."
My brother laughs awkwardly and runs his hand through his hair.
"Nothing, it's just been a while. I just can't believe this fucker was finally able to get his girl back. How's Izzy?"
"Oh, that's right. Izzy was your spit-swapping buddy—"
"Abbie!" My mom cuts her off with a chuckle.
"She seems happy," I say, holding his gaze. The conversations shift, and Jett grows more uncomfortably silent. The othersspend another hour drilling me, trying to get as much information as possible before we call it a night.
Jett went to his house for the night, and everyone was asleep. My mind is racing, and I can't sleep, so I go downstairs to the kitchen to raid the freezer for Blue Bell ice cream. It always seems to be readily available in this home. Knowing she's awake trying to get back into the routine for work tomorrow night, I texted Via.
Ander:Hey beautiful
Via:What are you doing awake? lol
Ander:Thinking about you
Via:Hm. There you go, trying to be a smooth talker again
Ander:Only for you and only when it's the truth
Via:Such a nerd
Ander:I told them. They want to see you whenever you're ready
Chapter twenty-four
Via
"So, wait, he bought your family's beach home?" Dessa asks as she inputs the next patient's medical orders into the system. The perks of working the night shift at the assisted living facility are that after eight p.m., it's typically pretty quiet, and we get to catch up on paperwork and, apparently, catch our friends up on our private lives.
I love working in assisted living. Most of our residents are healthy and care for themselves; they're just at an age where they no longer wish to live alone or can no longer safely live alone. We have medical wings, but it isn't like a nursing home. Our residents are mainly independent, but we come in if they have medical concerns.
"Yeah, Des, he did. He said it made him feel closer to me living there."
"V, that has got to be the most romantic thing I've ever heard. I hope you gave him the cookie." She jokes as she looks at me with stars in her eyes. Dessa is a hopeless romantic, and she loves the idea of love.
I can't help but snort out a laugh, "Gave him the cookie, really, Des?"
"You did, didn't—" she glares at me with knowing eyes, but before she has the chance to interject, my phone goes off. I forgot to silence it.Whoops.
I shake my head, and I laugh at her investigation into my sex life as I answer the phone on speaker.
