Page 133 of Please Open Me
“Alright, Pipsqueak.” I spread the food out between us. “Obviously, you’ve downed one Shirley already, but I expected that—so I got an extra.” I nodded toward the cups beside her. “And I also got one large order of cheese fries—” my finger tapped the warm styrofoam container. “But, to get these, you need to eat either a burger or a grilled cheese first.”
Mason froze, already halfway to stealing the fries.
“Is it a veggie burger?” She asked.
“If I tell you yes just to preserve yourI’m vegetariansentiment, will you be mad?”
Mason's teeth sank into her lower lip as she fought her smile.
“If I choose the burger, can I put fries on it?” For the first time all night, Mason had life back in her voice.
“You know what, Ishouldsay no, but just because I missed you.” I reached over and cupped her chin before squeezing her cheeks.
That on its own was brave, because Mason was no stranger to nipping my fingers when I crossed a line, but instead she melted into me before grabbing the more round of the wrappers.
Mason peeled off the foil, opened the box of cheese fries, and used a plastic fork to pile the sandwich high with carbs. I didn’t stop her because why the fuck would I?
Once she had her burger loaded up, she took a bite, eyes nearly rolling back in her head.
“Good?” I teased, still fighting the urge to touch her.
My skin tingled at the idea of being close to hers again, and it wasn’t fair.
“I think Ineededthis,” Mason mumbled before taking another bite.
This one was nowhere near as graceful, and about three chunks of potato fell out and onto her hoodie. Her eyes fell to the mess, as did mine. Mason sighed, still mid-chew, placed the burger on the open lid of the styrofoam container, and unzipped her hoodie before taking it off.
My breath caught in my throat. Both because I had an undeniable pregnancy kink, and I hadn’t expected Mason to be so…round. Not yet, at least. Without thinking, I reached over and splayed my fingers wide, allowing purple stripes of her tank top to be visible through the gaps.
My lips twisted into a grin the second we touched, and something in me eased. Like I’d been dying to be like this with her again. Dying to feel her again.
“Jesus Christ, you're huge,” I murmured, my thumb gliding across the curve.
The words slipped out in wonder, but that didn’t stop Mason from taking them like an insult. Every muscle of hers tensed, and I swore to God she stopped breathing.
I yanked back as if her touch physically burned me.
“I–shit, I didn’t mean it like that–I just–you just–” The vapid jumble of word stew continued to spew from my lips no matter how badly I wanted it to stop.
“It’s okay.” Mason finally smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You’re right. I’m huge. That’s what twins do, I guess.”
Her expression turned ripe with something I couldn’t quite place. Fear? Confusion? Maybe a little embarrassment. And, I was sure I wasn’t much better because I’d completely glossed over how she saidbabies, until now.
And I should have fucking paid attention, but I didn’t, and now it was too late.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I promised, my voice coming out raw. “I just… miss how we used to be, and that is one hundred percent something I would’ve said to you.”
But, I couldn’t anymore. Becauseshewasn’t my girlfriend.
“I’ve thought about you every day since our fight,” I added.
Conveniently leaving out that it wasn’t really a fight. Just me, unearthing things that could’ve stayed buried.
“I’ve thought about you, too.”
The words landed far too softly, like they weren’t meant to escape her at all. Her eyes widened the second they fell from her lips, like she wanted to snatch them back, but it was too late.
Masonmissedme.
