First and Last (Love and Hate Book 1)

Chapter 19

I had a feeling that Thanksgiving would be a complete shit show this year and I was right.

Things have been tense within my friend group since Halloween. Josie gets weird and quiet around Leo. Beth has been puking her guts out for like a month and refuses to go to the doctor. Landon and I haven't talked since Halloween. Landon glares at Hayden every time they get within twenty feet of each other. Things are off.

I told Beth it was a bad idea to put all of us at one table. I told her that no amount of delicious food could stop things from ending in disaster. She insisted we could put our problems aside for one night and enjoy a massive meal.

She was wrong.

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Beth spent the better part of the morning running around like the world was on fire. I don't know why, but she's wound so tight, if you poke her she'll burst. It's alarming. She's so determined to cook everything herself in our tiny kitchen. There's not even enough counter space for everything she wants to make.

"Beth?" I asked gently.

"What!" She spat out.

"Leo offered his kitchen up." She stopped, spun around, and glared at me.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Leo just got here and he told me if we wanted to we could use his kitchen. You know, since he lives downstairs. So, I was thinking, I would go down there and get started on the mashed potatoes and gravy and the pies." She clenched her jaw so hard I'm shocked it didn't break.

"I thought I made myself clear, Kalista, I'm doing the cooking. Not you!" I took a deep breath and tried to remember that I love her and she's my best friend.

"Yes, I know, but, Bridget and Josie are going to be in an hour and a half and you're not even close to being done. It's just the potatoes, I've made them a million times. There are instructions on the box. The same thing with the gravy and you already made the pies, so I just have to put them in the oven and let them cook." She narrowed her eyes.

"Fine, but if my dinner is ruined because of disgusting lumpy potatoes, I will end your life." I gulped nervously and smiled.

"Of course. Hayden!" I called out and he came running in.

"Yeah?" He gave me another one of his panty-melting smiles and I blushed.

"Help me carry these pies down to Leo's apartment." I handed two to Hayden and then grabbed the other two.

I wasn't surprised by what I saw when we walked into Leo's apartment. His apartment was a complete bachelor pad only smaller. It also smelled funny.

"What is that smell?" I asked scrunching my nose. Hayden just laughed.

"Oh, right, that would be a weird combination of sex and Febreze." I rolled my eyes.

"He's the worst." Hayden sighed.

"He's not that bad. He's a horndog and a prick, but he's a generally ok guy." I shook my head.

"I just can't look at him without thinking of Josie's heartbroken face as she told us what he did to her." I preheated the oven and started on the gravy.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in the past, but I'd never cheat on the woman I love." I cleared my throat. He was looking at me with an uncomfortable amount of intensity.

"Good to know." The oven beeped and I stuck the two pumpkin pies in.

I worked on the gravy while Hayden stood against the counter and neither of us talked. It went on just long enough to be awkward.