Dean squinted his hazel eyes and lowered his face to hers. “If you actually liked me back, Princess, then we’d be together right now. ”
She rolled her eyes. “We are together right now, dummy. ”
“No. I mean we’d be a couple and you know it. Stop avoiding the subject. ”
“I’m not avoiding anything. You’ve never even asked,” Melissa half-shouted over the sound of the baggage claim carousel kicking into gear.
“Asked? Asked you what? I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about right now!” Dean threw his hands into the air before pacing back and forth. “You make me crazy, you know that?”
Melissa shrugged her slim shoulders. “I don’t even do anything. ”
He stopped pacing and pointed a finger at her. “You don’t even do anything? YOU DON’T EVEN DO ANYTHING?” he repeated as his face reddened.
“That’s what I said. ” She looked at me before smiling and flipping her hair.
Listening to this verbal ping-pong match all weekend was going to be the death of me. I stepped between them and gritted out, “Holy shit, you two, shut up. Work it out in the bedroom. Please, for the love of all that’s holy … just work it out. ”
“I’ve been trying for the last two years,” Dean said through gritted teeth.
“He always makes me the bad guy!” Melissa yelled before stomping away.
Dean’s hands flew to the back of his head, where he threaded his fingers through his hair. “She is going to fucking kill me. Look at her. ”
I did as he asked and stifled a laugh. Melissa was currently struggling to get her suitcase off the spinning carousel. The damn thing looked twice her size and she was being dragged along as she yanked at it, unable to maneuver it over the edge and onto the floor.
“Come on, let’s get out of here. ” I nudged his rib cage with my shoulder.
When we got into the car, I positioned myself in the rear seat between Dean and Melissa, feeling like a referee just waiting to blow my whistle and shout, “Interference!” or “Offside!” But neither of them so much as looked at the other. This was going to be a long few days.
Dean stared out the car window, his eyes widening as he took in the views. I remembered how alive I felt the first time I came here. In the midst of my Jack-shattered heart, New York seemed to be the only place that could mend it. It buzzed with energy in the day, but it created it at night. I loved this city.
“Wait until you see the view from our balcony. ”
Dean turned to me. “I can’t believe you guys live here. ”
“It’s pretty awesome, right?” I smiled.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. ”
The car slowed to a stop as we pulled in front of our building. “We’re here. ”
Dean didn’t wait for our driver to open his door. “This looks like something straight out of Disneyland,” he said, glancing up at the light bulbs that lined the awning over our building’s entrance, and I laughed.
“It’s just those lights. I know. They look like the movie theater on Main Street. But you won’t think that in the daytime. Come on. ”
“Thanks, Pete. ” I smiled at the driver as he unloaded the last of the suitcases from the trunk.
Melissa looked straight up into the night sky. “Twenty-three floors up, right?”
“Yep,” I responded before wrapping an arm around her. “It’s not that bad. Just don’t look down. ” A small sound squeaked out of my best friend.
The doorman held open the front door for us to walk through. “Evening, Mrs. Carter. ”
“Good evening, Antonio. This is Jack’s brother, Dean, and my best friend, Melissa. They’re staying with us for a few days, so be sure to give them access. ”
Antonio studied their faces, as if
committing them to memory. “You got it. I hope you enjoy your stay. ” He tipped his head. “Oh, and Mrs. Carter, tell Mr. Carter we miss him on the field and to get better soon. ”