22. Macie

Chapter twenty-two

Macie

O n the counter in the kitchen was a stack of bills, all of them with a notice in large red lettering: "Overdue" or "Last Notice." One bill had: "Shut Off Notice."

I never had to think about money. My parents both worked successful, high-earning jobs. Sure, I paid toward car insurance, and when I was a kid, they gave me chores to teach me the value of money, but I never wanted for anything. I never thought about how electricity and water could be turned off. Never thought about not having a phone or car insurance. Until this moment, I never thought much about how people who didn't make the same income as my parents survived.

Watching the time on my phone, understanding that my parents were probably checking the driving app to see where I was, I turned off my location services. To soften that blow, I sent a text that I was eating dinner with friends.

As soon as Relic's dad left, Camila called out that she had soap in her eyes and Relic had retreated to the bathroom. Since then, I listened to the nonstop, heartwarming banter between the two. She complained that he was too rough combing her hair. He explained she needed to brush it better because it was all tangles. Camila wanted a specific nightgown. Relic tried to convince her to wear the one she had, but Camila persisted. Relic stalked into the living room to rummage through a clothes basket to find it. Camila wanted a drink of milk and a cookie. Relic gave her water and a cracker. She complained about brushing her teeth. Relic didn't even respond other than watching over her as she did it. Camila wanted three books read to her. Relic stood firm on two. Relic asked if the fan was just right. Camila wanted the air conditioner on higher. Relic apologized that he couldn't. As he left the room, Camila called out that she loved him, too, which made me assume he had told her he loved her as he tucked her in.

Relic went into another room, flipped on a light, and when he didn't come out, I took the few steps. My heart flew out of my chest at the sight of Relic shirtless and zipping up his jeans, his work clothes thrown into a laundry basket on the floor.

"Enjoying the show?" His eyes met mine, a sly smile crossed his face, and fire flamed out from my cheeks.

"Sorry," I stuttered, and as I moved away, Relic called, "Stay, Mazie."

So, I did. I expected him to throw on a shirt, but instead, he stared at me with that shadowed expression he had right before he kissed me. My pulse thundered through my body as I realized how alone we were.

"Lyra's on her way, so I can drive you home. She said it'll take her forty minutes. Do you have the time?"

Until this moment, I had never felt like a burden to Relic. Now, I did. Even though I knew I would have a panic attack that involved vomiting and passing out I said, "I can try to drive myself home. It's not that far."

Relic studied me and slowly raised an eyebrow. "Did all your blood drain to your feet, or is it pouring out of your body and into your shoes? Because your face went death white."

Pinpricks of light danced in my vision, and I had gone cottonmouth with fear. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, you are. Why don't you take a seat before you pass out?" Relic gently took my hand and guided me to a mattress on the floor that must have served as his bed.

"Sorry," I said weakly as I leaned forward to increase circulation to my brain. Crouching beside me, Relic pulled my hair off the back of my neck and the cooler air helped.

"Don't be. I'm the one who reneged on our deal by racing here at a hundred miles per hour."

Feeling human again, I sat up. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for taking care of me."

"Thanks for not saying a word as I broke every traffic law."

"She's your sister," I said. "I get it. I have two younger brothers I'd do anything for."

"How old are your brothers?" Relic eased to sit on the mattress and his thigh touched mine. Just the slide of his knee against my skin created pleasing tingles in my blood.

"Seth's eighteen months younger than me, but a year behind me in school. Oliver will be a freshman this year."

"All the Hutchinses in one place," Relic teased in that playful voice of his that had a way of lifting my spirits. "If they're anything like you, that sounds dangerous."

"My family isn't dangerous at all." I surveyed his room and thought of the living room and kitchen, and there wasn't much to any of it. His room contained this mattress, a few pieces of clothes folded in one basket and, I assumed, dirty ones thrown into another. Water stains littered the ceiling, the walls needed to be repainted, and the carpet had multiple holes. No TV, no stereo system, no computer, or laptop, not even curtains on the windows. "I like your place."

"No, you don't," Relic somberly said. "No one likes this place. Even cockroaches boycott it. You've never been a liar, Mazie Hutchinson. Don't start now."

All right. "How about I like how you love your sister?"

Relic glanced away as if I said something that hit too close.

"Your dad didn't have to go," I said, feeling bad that my being here had pushed him out.

"Yes, he did. He's a piece of shit. He just got out of prison for selling drugs, and I'd bet my left ball he's selling drugs as we speak. Recognizing how action equals consequences isn't his strong suit, so he makes the same mistakes over and over again. It wouldn't be so bad if he actually brought some money into the house, but as I said, good decision-making and my dad don't mix. Sometimes, all I wish for is for something— anything —to be easy."

My chest ached with the pure exhaustion and grief upon his face. I placed my fingers over his, and my heart tripped when he allowed our fingers to link together. We sat there, me holding his hand, him holding mine.

"You get it, don't you?" Relic asked. "Things not being easy."

I didn't understand Relic's type of hard, but I understood the wish for easy. "I wish I could drive a car. I wish I could talk about February. I wish I could be the Macie before what happened, but I'm not even sure she exists anymore."

Relic stroked his thumb over my hand. "I like who you are." His blue eyes softened to the color of the deep blue ocean, and I became paralyzed under his gaze. "More than like."

I inhaled in an attempt to calm my thundering heart. "I like you, too."

Relic reached out, giving me the opportunity to pull away. When I didn't, he caressed my cheek. His fingers on my skin created a burning path, and I lost the ability to breathe.

"Can I kiss you?" Relic asked softly. "Because I have missed kissing your lips."

I nodded, and Relic closed the distance between us. As I felt the heat of his breath along my lips, I closed my eyes and relaxed into this moment, into being with him. My lips moved with his, slow at first, and then they built speed as this fire in my stomach spread to my veins.

Being bold, I licked the seam of his mouth, and Relic groaned as he wrapped his arms around me, drawing me closer to him. Our kiss deepened and our hands began to roam, me memorizing the muscles of his shoulder blades and back. Relic running his hands along the sides of my breasts and the curve of my waist. I shivered with pleasure, gasped, and Relic began this delicious path of kisses along my neck. I had never felt so much thrilling indulgence, never wanted to do anything more than touch Relic, kiss Relic, and explore.

The front door banged open, I snapped away from him, my heart jumped out of my chest, and a woman rushed into Relic's room. "I am so sorry! I swear I didn't mean for this to happen." She appeared not much older than me, with long blond hair and a heartbreakingly beautiful face. Her head tilted from apologizing to an I-know-what-no-good-you're-up-to-smile. "Why, hello. You must be Macie."