BooksBarbecue
Back Counting Down with You
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  7. Part 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. Part 2
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. Part 3
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Ace nods and lies down on his own bed. Seeing him shirtless on my screen doesn’t cause me to fling my phone across the room, which is a definite improvement from last time.

I know odds are we’ll never spend a night lying next to each other without pulling some kind of reckless stunt. This has to be enough. It is enough. I love seeing him like this, warm and natural and soft.

“I told my dad how I felt about the whole Xander situation. I don’t think he realized it was that bad. He’s not...happy with me about certain things, but I’m not happy with him either, you know? But at least now he knows I wasn’t trying to leave home because of him. We both agreed to try going forward. I didn’t tell him about the college thing yet, but I’ll work up to it. I don’t want this to be a thing I did for him. It’s a me thing. I want it to stay a me thing as long as it can.”

His smile makes sense now, and it makes me happy to know things are working out for him. “That’s amazing, Ace! I’m so happy for you. I’m glad he was understanding about it. What about Xander?”

“Xander is... Xander. I think he also didn’t realize how serious it was. For him, it’s always been a competition. I don’t think he ever realized I wasn’t playing. He talked to Mom on his own, so I don’t really know what went down there, but he seemed different afterward. Better.”

“Will he relax then, do you think?”

Ace laughs. “We can hope. He’s still Xander, though. I don’t know if he can help himself.”

“Brothers,” I commiserate, but then I soften, seeing how bright his eyes are shining. “I really am so happy for you. This is everything you deserve.”

Ace’s smile stretches even wider. “God, you’re so sweet. I wish you were here, baby.”

My cheeks warm as I laugh. “I wish I was there, too.”

He tilts his head, considering me before he presses two fingers to his lips and lifts them to the camera.

I lift my eyebrows. “Are you attempting to kiss me through the phone?”

Ace shakes his head, amused. “What else am I supposed to do? I can’t exactly come over. Your grandma is great, but even she might protest me throwing rocks at your window at 11:00 p.m.”

“Not might. She would definitely protest,” I say before pressing two of my fingers against my own lips and holding them to my camera. “Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” he says, and he looks like he means it.

I fall asleep to the sight of his smile, but despite the happiness I feel for him, my mind can’t help straying to my parents.