ᴛᴏᴏ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ » ᴢᴀᴄʜ ʜᴇʀʀᴏɴ

Chapter Fourteen

April 26, 2018

Maeve had never been keen of making a scene, but Jess had more important things to concern her than the eyes of onlooking strangers. That was why the dark haired girl bounded through the airport terminal, screaming as she approached Maeve and nearly ran her over as she threw her arms around her shoulders.

Jess was chatting excitedly as they weaved through the crowd toward the exit doors, where Anna was waiting to pick them up outside.

"School's been the worst without you," she said. "And I wish you'd be here for the summer before our senior year but you know, you're busy going to Europe and having a job and stuff."

Maeve shot her a guilty smile. Even though she wouldn't change working with the tour for anything, it was extremely difficult to be apart from her best friend.

"On another note," Jess continued, threading her arm through Maeve's, "any updates on the thrilling, infuriating, and disgustingly adorable roller coaster that is your budding romance?"

Maeve pushed her away a little, trying not to give her the satisfaction of seeing her smile.

***

Maeve seeing her parents again went just how she expected it to go—uneventfully.

In the past, her mom had made her disapproval of the Kithes apparent in the way her eyes flashed when Maeve told her she was going over to Jess's, but somehow, she and her husband were going to be polite for one evening.

The Kithe, Orland, and Besson families were gathering at a sit down restaurant to welcome Corbyn and Maeve back for a couple days. It wouldn't be a big occasion, but Jess insisted that Maeve wear a dress. They spent the afternoon lying on the bed in Maeve's room, laughing and carrying on until they actually chose their outfits five minutes before leaving her house.

Now, they were walking across a dimming parking lot with her parents.

Doug and Anna Kithe were already standing in the waiting area, along with the Bessons. She returned Doug's hug and greeted Corbyn, although she'd been on the plane with him that morning. She hadn't seen Mrs. Besson in awhile, so it was nice to talk to her again, along with Ashley.

The time for greetings passed and the group began moving forward to check their reservation.

When everyone stepped away, there was Greyson.

He moved closer to Maeve without looking her straight in the face. Her heart hardened with every step he took, simply at the sight of him.

He stood in front of her.

"Looking good, Orland," he said in a low voice. His eyes were on her body, not her face.

Throat tightening, she stepped away, towards Jess.

No matter the attempts of her best friend to include her in the conversation over dinner, she couldn't be involved, because spiraling through her head in an endless loop was: Zach never would've said that.