Never Getting Back Together

TWENTY-THREE

I stare in the mirror, brushing my teeth for the second time in the last twenty minutes. I'm not worried about the state of my breath. But if I don't keep my hands busy, I might legit explode.

My hair's still down in messy curls, and I'm wearing a pair of athletic shorts with an old Fall Out Boy T-shirt of Ty's that I never gave back to him. I appear calm, cool, and casual—the exact opposite of how I feel.

Every time I think about that kiss outside the barn, my stomach turns itself inside out. Ty didn't specify what time he was coming over. The idea that he could show up at any second has anticipation and nervousness crackling through me. How is someone supposed to act after their ex-boyfriend confesses he still has feelings for them and then proceeds to kiss the life out of them?

It was all I could do to get through the clean-up after the dance. The atmosphere between Ty and me was so charged, Giselle's lucky she wasn't electrocuted in the crossfire. Ty kept finding ways to touch me. Brushing his fingers against mine as he handed me a garbage bag. Setting his hand on the small of my back when he thought no one was looking. Turning me into a weak-kneed mess.

If I survive an entire conversation with him, it'll be a miracle. I groan, shutting off the sink and tossing my toothbrush in the holder. I could really use one of Janet's motivational texts right about now.

My bare feet pad against the tile floor, which is still warm even though the sun set hours ago. I walk over to the windows, pushing them open to let in some air.

A pickup I'd recognize anywhere pulls into the driveway. Headlights flood the pool house, and tires grind against gravel as Ty parks. He might as well have put my heart into park, too, because it's definitely stopped beating. The hinges of Ty's door squeak as he gets out. It takes all my self-control to keep from running to the door.

I've spent so much time thinking about all the things that went wrong between us. But now that he's here, I'm having a hard time remembering a single one. I don't know how I'll even be able to speak with the feel of his kiss so fresh on my lips.

I shimmy my shoulders, trying to shake off the anxiety, and tug open the door. Ty's fist is raised like he was about to knock, but he isn't empty-handed. He's holding the most enormous bouquet of sunflowers I've ever seen.

I try to fight the dopey smile spreading across my face and fail. Ty brought me those same flowers so many times when we were together. I shouldn't be surprised he remembered they're my favorite. But I am. Surprised and incredibly impressed.

"They're a couple years late," Ty says. "But, I hope you'll accept these as my official apology for being the world's biggest idiot."

I take the flowers from him, too touched to say anything but "Come on in, California boy."

"That nickname's going to stick, isn't it?" Ty frowns, but there's a grin in the way his eyes crinkle.

"Afraid so." I shrug.

"Guess I'll have to get used to it then." Ty's gaze travels over my body, turning me into a puddle of goop on the tile. "Nice shirt," he says appreciatively as he walks past me into the room.

I release a wobbly breath, pushing the door shut and watching Ty as he takes in the outdated kitchen and eclectic furniture of the living room. He nods. "This place is great. Very cozy."

"It's a work in progress," I say, grabbing a vase from under the sink and filling it with water.

"I love it." Ty flops down on the worn cushions of my couch. Hearing him compliment my home makes me all floaty, like he's admiring a part of me and not just the room.