Page 72 of Making Over Maris

“Buh. Bye.” And when he didn’t move, “Go, Todd. Have a nice life.”

“But—”

She shoved him through the door and shut it in his face.

It felt fucking awesome.

Todd’s car was in Sara’s driveway when Jack pulled up, which sent his depression hurtling into overdrive.

Part of him had kind of hoped she’d been bluffing about going out with Surfer Turd tonight. He’d come by on the off chance she’d be home. Alone. He planned to march right up to her door and then throw himself at her feet and grovel like hell.

But she hadn’t been bluffing.

Fuck.

He thought about roaring away in a huff but knowing Todd was there in her house, with her right now, was like acid in his gut. He couldn’t leave. He had to know. He had to know…

He parked his car down the street and glared at her house, willing Todd to come out—without Sara—and leave.

He was kind of shocked when that was exactly what happened.

Todd came out and stomped to his car and got in and slammed the door and revved the engine…and tore down the street.

Jack sprang out of his car and bounded up her sidewalk and laid on the bell.

If Todd was coming back, Jack intended to get in there first.

To apologize.

To make this all better.

The door flew open immediately, as though she’d been standing right there. Her face was contorted with rage.

“I told you—” She blinked. Her mouth fell open. “Jack?”

“Sara. Don’t say anything. Let me—”

“Jack. What are you doing here?”

“Can we please talk?”

“Talk?”

“Please, Sara. I…have something important to say.” She opened her mouth to say no but he didn’t let her. “It’s something I need to say and it’s not easy, so please, will you let me just say it?”

Relief scudded through him as she stepped back and opened the door, letting him in. “What is it, Jack?”

He stepped inside and his brain seized.

Oh crap. This was it. The moment he’d sweated over all afternoon.

Don’t fuck it up.

Don’t fuck it up.

“I wanted to…apologize.” The word stuck in his throat but once it was out, he realized it hadn’t tasted so bad. In fact it had the definite flavor of relief.

Sara blinked. Her mouth went all round, a tantalizing O. “A-apologize?”