Chapter Twelve
Reid took me back to his house that night. I was chattering from the cold and my stomach was growling and he said he wasn't going to back to the dorms tonight so I might as well come over for a little bit. I obliged and an hour later I was in his kitchen eating from a smorgasbord of food that we had dug out of the cabinets, pantry, and refrigerator. It was over a jar of pickles that Reid made the suggestion.
"Maybe you should just go visit your mom." I stared at him. That comment had come out of absolute nowhere. "I mean, Winter Break is coming up. You could go, I don't know, spend the week with her, feel her out. Maybe she's just lonely and just wants to see you."
"Maybe," I muttered, taking a bite of my pizza and then licking my ice cream spoon clean.
"Does she have a dog or something?" I shook my head. "Why don't you get her one? My mom has a little ugly ass Chihuahua that looks like a rat, but she loves that damn thing. Takes it everywhere with her. The thing loves her, even sleeps between her and my dad. Maybe that would help with your mom adjusting to you and Celeste being gone." I know my mouth was hanging open. When in the hell had Reid Garwin gotten this intelligent? Reid Garwin, people!
"Reid, I don't know what to say to you."
"Don't make fun of me," he said quickly, screwing the top back on the pickle jar and pushing it away.
"No, that's a brilliant idea. A dog. Why didn't I think of that before?"
"Because I'm like, totally a genius." He gave that in a valley girl impression.
"You're a hot genius," I said, moving from my stool to hug him. I went to pull back but he held on to me, just holding me to him. God, I could have just melted in his arms for that. "Reidy?"
"I can't believe I'm about to actually respond to that name, but, yes?" I laughed, still in his arms.
"Would you go with me to pick out a puppy?"
"I'd love to go with you to pick out a puppy." I kissed him, then. The moment was just perfect. He smelled like pizza and coffee and that scent that was just him. It was a blend of soap, fabric softener, a light layer of cologne, and under all of that, the distinct scent of male. When we finally pulled apart I just buried my face in his neck and breathed him in, allowing him to pull me closer.
"Reid?"
"Hmm?" I could imagine his eyes closed as kissed the side of my neck.
"Can I ask you something else?"
"Sure."
"You don't have to say yes. In fact, I don't even really expect you to, but I thought I'd ask anyways, just, you know, on the off chance, that maybe--"
"Karlissa?"
"Yeah?"
"Ask the question."
"If I were to spend Winter Break in Marion, would you come with me?" He pulled me back to look in my eyes.
"Do you really want me to come with you? For a whole week? Are you sure you can handle me for that long?"
"If you don't want to come, all you have to say is no."
"Karli, that's not what I'm getting at here." I sighed.
"Reid, if I didn't want you to come I wouldn't have invited you."
"Well, in that case, count me in." I kissed him again. Who wouldn't have?
We fell asleep on the couch downstairs in the den underneath this huge down comforter that we stole from one of the downstairs guest rooms. I was sleeping better than I had in a couple of weeks when I heard my phone ringing in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out and answered it, trying to not wake Reid. He groaned and shifted, but didn't say anything, so I turned my attention back to the phone.
"Hello?" I answered in a whisper.
"Karli, hey," Celeste said.
"Morning."
"Where are you? I went in your room this morning to wake you for breakfast and you weren't there. Then I looked out the window and noticed your car was gone."
"I'm at Reid's. I woke up really late last night and headed back to the dorms but then I stopped at Emmett Bridge and Reid kind of found me there."
"Did you guys make up?"
"Yeah."
"Did you have sleep with him?"
"What? Celeste, no! Well, I mean, yes, technically. Literally, yes, but figuratively, no. There. Okay, we've got it."
"Okay, just checking. I know how powerless you become to his charm."
"We've both grown up a little bit since then," I said, rubbing my eyes against the dim sunlight that had escaped the confinement of the heavy drapes. Reid groaned again and his arm around my waist tightened his breath tickling the back of my neck. I smiled in spite of myself.
"I'm glad you guys are cool. At least you have one of them on your side."
"Yeah, only three more to tackle. Four if you count Sarah."
"No, if Reid is on your side, so is Tyler."
"Eh, that's true, I suppose, but he might take a little convincing."
"So, three and a half?"
"Yeah," I said.
"Wait, wait. Pogue is only going to take a little bit of convincing, too. He was totally on your side at your ascension."
"What do you mean?"
"He was totally yelling at Reid for being such a jackass and then he pulled you out of the colony house when Reid tried to get you to go to dinner with him."
"Oh, yeah, that's right!"
"So, let's just say three."
"Okay." We sat in silence for a few moments.
"Well, hop to it, honey."
"But I'm sleeping!" I dragged out the 'e' in sleeping and allowed my voice to whine a little.
"I didn't mean right this second. I meant sometime today. Tomorrow is Monday and you're going back to school whether you like it or not."
"I know."
"Okay, call me later. And tell Reid I'm glad he's the one you chose."
"Celeste, I didn't," I began, but she'd already hung up on me. I hadn't chosen, had I? I turned around in Reid's arms and brushed his cheek with my fingertips. Maybe I had.