<h4>Chapter 162: It’s Okay to Like Him</h4>


    Hailey


    I nudge Josh hard on his knee under the table, nearly making him drop his fried chicken.


    "What?" he asks quietly so only I can hear.


    "Reba is flirting with her date," I say.


    "so what?" he asks.


    " What about Marcus? Do you think she just forgot about him?" I muse.


    Josh smirks. "Who knows? Reba has always been impulsive. Maybe she got bored with Marcus already.


    "How can she get bored with Marcus?"


    "Shoot, Hailey. How would I know? Why don’t you go ask Reba?"


    Josh nudges my shoulder.


    I shrug. Maybe I will.


    After the party died down. I pull her aside to ask just that.


    "So," I begin. "What’s up with you and Mr. Clean Cut over there?"


    Reba raises her eyebrow. "Kevin? He is kind of cute, right? For once, Sarah did a great job ying the cupid," she says.


    "Hmm.... he does seem Pretty perfect," I say thoughtfully. "But do you like him, though?"


    Reba nods. "of course I do. What’s not to like?" She says, grinning.


    "And what about Marcus?" I ask.


    Reba looks rmed. "Marcus? What about him?"


    "You hooked up with him in the Hot tub, Ba."


    "Yes, I did, and it was he fun. you ought to try Hot tub sex too, Hailey." Reba says a little too loudly.


    "Eww... no thanks. I will pass on that for now," I say, looking at her with disgust.


    "oh,e on, Hailey, you won’t know until you try. Anyway, Marcus is in the past now," Reba says,


    "Oh really?" I look at her skeptically. "And you are okay with leaving him in the past?"


    "Yes, l am. I was just having some fun with him, and now the fun is over," Reba says.


    For some reason, I don’t believe her for one second.


    She is affected by Marcus, whether she wants to admit it or not.


    "You know... I don’t think Marcus wants to leave you in the past," I say.


    "Why do you say that?" Reba asks, her eyes glowing with curiosity.


    "Well, the other day, he was acting weird. Asking me about some broli earring you left at his ce."


    "Um, I told him he could throw the earring away. It was cheap and worthless," Reba says, suddenly looking ufortable.


    I cross my arms. "Yeah, well, Marcus didn’t throw it away. And he made me give him your address, assuming to ship it to you."


    Reba frowns. "Really?"


    "Yup, really."


    "He called me tonight and grilled me about Kevin," she says.


    My eyes turn wide. "No way! He called you? Tonight?"


    Reba nods, biting her lip like she just realized she gave something away. "Yeah... it was weird. He kept asking questions. About Kevin. About the date. About how nice Kevin is."


    I gape at her. "Girl, he’s jealous!"


    Reba scoffs, but there’s no real heat behind it. "He has no reason to be jealous. We hooked up only once."


    "Does he know that?" I joke.


    "I shouldn’t have slept with him, I know that. But I couldn’t resist the temptation. He is arrogant and self-centered, but there is something undeniably attractive about him. I couldn’t help myself," Reba says.


    I look at her thoughtfully. I am used to Reba being yful and flirty, but she looks almost mncholic right now. "It’s okay if you like him, Reba. Do you want more from him?"


    She shakes her head no. "Even if I do, I shouldn’t. We are from two different worlds."


    I study her for a second, the way her voice dipped lower, how she couldn’t quite meet my eyes.


    "But sometimes," I say gently, "those different worlds find a way to collide. And when they do... they change everything."


    Reba lets out a breath, one hand brushing her hair back from her face. "You make it sound so dramatic."


    I smirk. "Because it is dramatic. You, Marcus, hot tub sex, mystery earrings, jealouste-night phone calls? This is straight-up soap opera material."


    Sheughs softly, but it fades fast. "It was supposed to be fun. No strings, no expectations."


    "Yeah, well, strings got pulled whether you like it or not," I say. "And if you’re still thinking about him while holding hands with Kevin, that’s not nothing."


    Rebaughs. "Maybe. Has he stopped flirting with you in the office?" she asks.


    I nod. "Oh yes. He has not made any inappropriatements or sent me unsolicited gifts since that night. You have cured him just like you said you would."


    Reba chuckles, but there’s a flicker of something in her eyes like she is remembering that night all over again.


    Josh interrupts right then. "There you are," he deres and looks at Reba. "Mind if I steal my girlfriend for a bit?"


    Reba waves her hand. "By all means."


    Josh slides his arm around my waist and tugs me gently toward him. "You two looked like you were plotting something shady," he teases.


    "We were," I say with a grin. "Reba’s love life is our next investigation."


    Josh chuckles. "Well, let me know when the suspect list includes wine and pizza. I’ll happily join in."


    Reba snorts. "You two are ridiculous."


    Josh kisses my temple before whispering, "Come on, I want to show you something."


    I raise an eyebrow, intrigued, and let him lead me away from the patio and down a dimly lit garden path behind the house. The sounds of the party fade as we move farther from the crowd.


    "Are we sneaking off to make out, or is this an actual surprise?" I ask, half-joking.


    "Both, maybe," Josh says, shing a mischievous smile.


    He stops under a string of fairy lights someone strung between two trees. They glow warm and golden, casting soft shadows on his face. Then he turns to face me, suddenly more serious.


    "Well? What did you want to show me?" I ask.


    He grins. "Nothing. I just wanted to make out with you."


    I blink at him, half amused, half exasperated. "Seriously? You dragged me all the way back here just for that?"


    Josh shrugs with a crooked smile. "Can you me me? You’ve been looking gorgeous all night, and I’ve had to share you with fried chicken, Reba’s drama, and like—ten other people."


    Iugh despite myself, lightly swatting his arm. "You’re ridiculous."


    "Ridiculously in love with you," he says smoothly, and before I can roll my eyes, he leans in and kisses me.


    It’s soft at first—gentle, like he’s still checking to see if I’ll pull away. But I don’t. I lean into him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. The garden is quiet, the fairy lights flickering softly above us like a scene pulled straight from a teen rom. And honestly, I don’t hate it.


    He pulls back just a little, his forehead resting against mine. "Worth the walk?"


    I smile. "Maybe."


    Josh chuckles. "Tough crowd."


    "I have high standards," I tease.


    "Good. That means I’ll never getzy."


    We stand there for a beat, just swaying slightly in our own little bubble, until I murmur, "Reba’s really got herself twisted up over Marcus, huh?"


    "Yeah," Josh says. "She might not know it yet, but she’s already in deep."


    "She’s going to get hurt."


    "Maybe. Or maybe she’ll be the one doing the hurting," he says. "But that’s love, right? Messy, stupid, real."


    I sigh. "God, are we growing up?"


    Josh kisses my nose. "Don’t say it like it’s a tragedy."


    "I’m just saying, next thing you know, we’ll be nning brunches and arguing about IKEA furniture."


    He grins. "As long as we still make out under fairy lights, I’ll survive."


    Iugh, pulling him in again. "Fair point. Now shut up and kiss me before Rebaes looking for more therapy."


    "Hands off my sister unless you want to marry her!" Matthew’s booming voice interrupts the moment.


    I groan. "MATTHEW!"


    Josh jumps back a full foot, nearly tripping over a tree root. "Dude! Where did you evene from?" he sputters.


    Matthew steps into the light like some kind of judgmental guardian angel in cargo shorts. "I’ve been watching. And honestly? That was a long kiss. Suspiciously long."


    "Oh my God," I mutter, covering my face with both hands. "This is why I don’te here often."


    Josh clears his throat, trying to recover his dignity. "Pretty sure she can kiss her boyfriend without a family tribunal, man."


    "Not when her big brother is around," Matthew says, crossing his arms like a bouncer at a club. "Which I always am. Unexpectedly. Constantly. Get used to it."


    "Great," I mumble. "You’re like a nosy roon, but with moral superiority and ess to my baby photos."


    "Exactly." He winks at Josh. "You’ve been warned."


    "Matthew, can you please go back to the party and let me enjoy my cute moment in peace?" I ask, trying not tough.


    Matthew holds up his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do."


    "Your bar is on the floor," I shoot back.


    He grins like that’s apliment and finally walks off, muttering something about needing more soda and less trauma.


    Josh waits a beat, then looks down at me. "So... how soon can we get married?"


    I snort. "When Matthew gets abducted by aliens."


    "Noted." He pulls me close again. "Guess I better enjoy this before hees back with binocrs."


    I sigh contentedly, resting my head on Josh’s chest.