and back inside, I looked around, noticing the framed J. Carter jerseys on the walls and bookshelves lined with photographs and at least twenty random jars filled to the top with quarters.
“What’s with all the quarters?” I asked out loud as I leaned down to look at one.
“Don’t ask,” Chance said, and that was the end of it.
“Okaaayy then.” I made my way to the kitchen, and even though I could tell it was dated, it still looked brand-new. “Hey, do we need to go to the grocery store tomorrow?” I asked.
Danika shook her head as she held on to Chance. They looked so comfortable here, together, like they’d always been this way.
“I already got everything. My dad’s bringing some fancy wine from Italy. And I might have gotten all the ingredients you’ll need to bake us some cookies.” She sounded a little terrified of my reaction, and that made me giggle. The last thing I knew I did was scare Danika in any way.
“Sounds good then. I’ll bake us a cookie cake.” I was actually excited to have something to do. Not that I hadn’t planned on helping, but baking always calmed me.
“And I’ll try not to ruin Thanksgiving dinner. Just so it’s out there.” She pointed at each of us. “I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’ve never done this before.”
“We don’t care. We’re just happy to be here.”
“Speak for yourself,” Mac said from over my head as he walked up behind me. “I care. I need food to function. You gotta feed me, Danika.”
Chance looked around for something, found a sweatshirt, and tossed it at Mac’s head, which almost hit me instead. They both took off running, chasing each other around the living room, dodging between the couches and coffee table like children.
Danika and I stepped closer to each other, eyeing our boyfriends as they stomped around, clearly not caring if they woke the neighbors.
“I know you’re dying to go do things, but everything’s closed for the holiday. We’ll start exploring first thing Friday morning, okay?”
Her words relieved me. I was going crazy, being in New York but not getting to experience it. “I can’t wait.”
“Can’t wait for what?” Mac reappeared at my side, breathing heavy and sweating. “Can’t wait to see our room?”
“You’re such a guy,” I pretended to complain as he wiped his forehead on my shoulder. “Did you just wipe your sweat on me?”
“No.” He looked around with a guilty expression. “Now, I need a shower.”
Chance was just as sweaty as Mac but was already downing an entire bottle of water. “Yeah, you do.”
“You guys have the master.” Danika wagged her eyebrows at me, but I was confused.
“Why do we have the master bedroom?”
Chance made a disgusted face as he finished off the bottle. “Because my parents used to live here. I am not sleeping in that bed. Or doing anything else in it either.”
“Thanks for that visual.” I shook my head, wanting to get rid of the idea of anyone’s parents doing it—I didn’t care how hot they were.
“You’re welcome. Better you than me.” He walked to the sliding glass door and locked it, a clear sign that we were all going to bed.
“All right, we’ll see you two in the morning. There’s bottled water in your room. Tons of food in the pantry if you get hungry in the middle of the night and need a snack,” Danika explained before giving both Mac and me a hug. “I’m so glad you guys are here.”
Mac moved behind me and started pushing me toward the bedroom by my waist. “We’re going to bed now,” he yelled, and I knew that sleeping was the last thing we were about to do.
A New Kind of Friendsgiving
Sunny
O
nce I’d finally gotten it out of my head that we were in Chance’s parents’ old bedroom, in the bed they used to sleep in, I gave myself to Mac. I resisted in the beginning, more than slightly weirded out by the whole thing even though the sheets and pillows were brand-new. It took a little effort on Mac’s part to get me in the mood. Mostly him diving between my legs. Once his tongue had licked at me, I’d started seeing stars and stopped thinking about anything else, except how good it’d felt to be ravished by him.
When I woke up the next morning, the bed was empty. I heard voices coming from the other room, so I hurried out of bed, brushed my teeth, and stepped into