Page 45 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“No! That’s not what I meant.” Zachary’s hands are flailing.
“Excuse me?” I widen my eyes. I’m not that puny.
“I swear, I didn’t mean that,” Zachary repeats, and then looks at Kaity and shrugs. “Okay, maybe I did a little.”
“We doing this?” I growl and roll my eyes. I will not be doubted.
“Come on.” Zachary waves and he’s off toward his truck.
I huff and race to make up the lost ground. A few minutes later, we’re standing at the back of Zachary’s truck with the tailgate down and the cover lifted. He has to be kidding.
“That looks heavy as fuck,” I blurt.
“Eh.” Zachary shrugs and jumps into the truck bed. “Itissolid wood. It’s not finished yet though. I haven’t put the trim on or etched out the decorative stuff, but it’s sturdy.” He grips the corner of the unstained wood and gives it a shake. It barely budges.
“Looks like it.” Kaitlynn grimaces.
“I’ll push it to you two and then y’all can ease it down,” he tells us. “Ready?”
“Uh…sure.” I shrug.
“Please don’t break it,” he says, and starts to push.
It slides to the edge quicker than I expect. Maybe it’s not that heavy after all. When it gets to the edge, I grab my end while Kaitlynn’s fingers wrap around the little feet on the other side. This ain’t so bad, nah, it’s…oh shit! The full weight drops as it clears the tailgate, and I brace. This is heavy as crap. It drops several inches before I get my fingers back around it.
“Kenzie!” Kaitlynn yelps.
“Sorry!” I yell back. “I got it now.”
“You sure, Mack?” Zachary doesn’t look convinced yet. His arms are desperately wrapped around the top of the case.
“Yes,Zachary, I have it,” I bite back.
“Mack?” Kaitlynn leans around and whispers at me.
“Shut up,” I whisper back. No one calls me that, ever. It is a little weird to hear, like mac andcheese or something, but I’ll let it pass until my life isn’t on the line.
“All right, I’m putting all the weight on y’all now,” Zachary says.
I’m sorry, what? The full weight? Only now?
I push forward as the case comes down. I struggle, but keep it from free-falling. This bitch is heavy AF! We finally get it to the ground and I let go.
“How are we getting that way over there?” I gulp in air.
“Ah, you’ll make it.” Kaitlynn pats my back.
I want to call her a bitch, but I don’t.
Zachary jumps off the back. That’s when I notice he’s wearing boots. Okay, why do they look sort of hot on him? Nope. Focus. Focus, Kenzie!
“You can call me Zach, by the way,” he says over Kaitlynn.
“Huh?” I stumble, but manage it.
“Zach—you can call me Zach. You know, short for Zachary, like Mack is short for Mackenzie.” He acts like he’s giving me a lesson.
I roll my eyes. “Let’s just get this thing over there.”
