My Rebound (On My Own #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,25

my distance in class,” I added.

Mackenzie went silent for a moment, and I wanted to reach through the phone and hold her, tell her that I was an idiot.

“I probably should have told you that so I didn’t sound like an asshole. I blame the fever.”

“Pacey, if you were sick, you should have told me. I thought you hated me or something.”

“No, I could never hate you, Mackenzie. I got you flowers, didn’t I?”

“I thought it was because you were saying, ‘Thank you for crying on me, now I never want to see you again.’”

“Love...” I whispered.

“I’m fine. But you need to tell me exactly what happened this week, or I’m going to get angry.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose then cursed because it hurt. “I started feeling sick the day after our date. I figured it was just a sinus infection. Or a cold. It wasn’t too much. I’ve been on antibiotics because my doctor wants me to be careful. I’m fine, not contagious, and I didn’t get anyone else sick. But I still wanted to be careful, so I sat away from you and everybody else. I kept coming in late because I felt like shit, and I didn’t get a chance to tell you. And then, classes were difficult, and I forgot to text because of the aforementioned illness. I’m sorry I’m an idiot. Please forgive me.”

She paused. “Are the flowers to say forgive you or thank you?”

“Thank you for the date, and please forgive me for not sending them sooner and for being a fool. Whatever you need them to be. Please don’t hate me.”

She sighed again, and I leaned into the couch in my room. “I’m not going to hate you. I don’t. I only hate one person, and even then, I don’t think I care enough to truly hate him anymore. But thank you for the flowers. And I hope you’re feeling better. You really should have told me. I could have made you soup.”

“Both Dillon and Tanner did. It helps that they both cook.”

“I’m kind of jealous,” she teased.

“Next time I’m sick, you can come over and eat their soup.”

“I would say that sounds like a plan, but I don’t want you to be sick.”

“That would be a blessing.”

“Thank you again for the flowers,” she whispered.

“You already said that. A few times.”

“I know. I’m just not good at this whole thing.”

“And what is this whole thing?” I asked, wondering why I kept teasing...pushing.

“That’s just it. I have no idea. But I had fun. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I had fun. So, thank you for taking me out to dinner. It was nice going out with somebody I didn’t know everything about. Or…you know what I mean. Since I didn’t technically know much about Sanders either.”

I let out a small growl. “Let’s stop saying his name. It gets me all growly. Tanner’s worse, but I can growl.”

“You know what? Deal.”

“I would ask you what you’re wearing, but I don’t want to come off too cliché.”

She laughed, exactly how I wanted her to.

“I’m sorry for crying in front of you and on you.”

“I didn’t mind. You needed to get it out.”

“And I did. And I feel oddly better. I know I’m not a hundred percent, but who knows if I ever will be. But I do feel so much better.”

“Good.” My head hurt, and I knew I’d probably have to go to sleep soon. “Now, for the next part of your rebound…”

She sputtered into the phone, and I laughed. “I can be your rebound guy. We can study together, be friends. I’ll be anything you need. And we don’t have to have sex, Mackenzie Thomas.”

She was so silent that I was afraid the call had dropped, but I could still hear her breathing.

“You just laid it all out there, didn’t you?”

“I think the whole point of my statement is that I’m not going to lay it all out there,” I joked.

“Oh good, a penis joke. At least I’m back into the world of norm. What are you going to get out of this? Seriously. Can you have a rebound without sex?”

“I guess we could have sex if that’s what you want,” I said and ignored the way my dick hardened against my zipper.

“Oh, well, uh....”

“Thank you for that. I feel so invigorated.”

“Pacey,” she warned.

“Seriously. You and me. We’ll be friends, study partners, and our version of a rebound.”

“And no sex? No romantic feelings or craziness that will hurt both of us