This Is The Day // The The

Pete

Well, that didn't go well.

After the disastrous interaction with Jeff, I decide to go for a walk. I lost my appetite anyway. Maybe he needs a cooling off period. I know I do. I feel terrible. Kyra will have to deal with his mood now that I've opened the can of worms, figuratively.

Thing is–because yeah, there's a huge thing–I have no desire to stuff the worms back into the can the way I thought I would. All this time, I imagined wanting to crawl away once Jeff found out I have feelings for Kyra. And the shittiest part about it? He still doesn't actually know.

I said the words. I told him I wanted his blessing to date her. I'm not trying to hook up with her and disappear. I already disappeared from her and spent the last three years becoming a better version of myself. The version I can look at in the mirror and not want to throw up. I can stand myself. I even like myself.

In hindsight, I shouldn't have hidden my transformation efforts from Jeff. One of the reasons Jeff was okay with Matt dating his cousin, Hannah, was the fact he saw Matt developing a conscience and working through his own demons. It was happening right in front of all of us during senior year of high school.

Truth be told, I was pissed. Where was this Matt when he was screwing me over freshman year? Where was his conscience when he hooked up with every girl who passed him by? Where was the good version of Matt when he crushed his best friend's dreams. Mine.

I held on to that anger for too long, even trying to sabotage his relationships as he grew a soul. That didn't work out too well for either of us. It strained our friendship further. I retreated from the group and became the loner. I kept things to myself; all of my pain and self-loathing.

When Kyra made her move, I was too weak to resist after years of self-deprecation. I gave in. And I hurt her in the process just like I knew I would. It wasn't purposeful. But I wasn't ready to be the guy she deserved.

Now I am.

I kick a rock across the dirt path as I go, angry at everything keeping me from the woman I love.

Then I stop walking.

Because what's actually keeping me from her? Her brother? Does he really have a say? She's a grown adult. So am I. He has his own life, his own love. He's getting married–

Shit. He's getting married and I just created a landmine.

Back to beating myself and my circumstances to a pulp, I continue down the path only to run into a jogging Misty.

Great. Just what I needed. If the coffee and confrontation wasn't enough to get my blood pressure going, this interaction sure will be.

She slows to a walk as she approaches, the biggest shit-eating grin plastered on her face I've ever seen.

"I knew there was smexual tension brewing last night."

I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut from the crazy I've run into.

"The what?"

"Smexual tension."

"What the hell is that?"

Misty rolls her eyes. "Blah, blah. You must not be up on your social media slang. Smexual is the way we say sexual on the ticky tok." She tilts her head. "Oh, dang. You look like you're ready to unalive someone, namely me."

"Okay, stop talking. I'm not crazy enough for this conversation."

"Oh, I think you are. Crazy in love, that is." She slugs my shoulder.

Where the hell is her boyfriend when you need him? The guy's a homicide detective for God's sake. He should be here protecting her from the eventual unaliving that someone's going to commit after she drives the person to do her in.

And, crap. She's got me talking like her in my own head.

"Anyway," she starts, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Kyra is mopy today, you're stabby right now. Something went down that neither of you is talking about therefore," she rolls her hand toward me, "tension."

"She's mopy?"

"Got your attention, did I? Yes, mopy. And quiet. Which tells me y'all didn't knock boots last night, but something did happen."

"I think you've been listening to too many true crime podcasts."

She shrugs. "Occupational hazard."

"You run a candy store, don't you? How are true crime podcasts an occupational hazard?"

Her eyes twinkle as she winks. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Again, I'm not in the right mindset to translate Misty-speak so I'll be on my way."

"Yeah, yeah. Nothing I haven't heard before, but listen."

I pause and look back at her. For all her insanity, Misty does tend to hit the nail on the head more often than not, so I listen.

She approaches and pokes me in the shoulder. "If you run away again, know that I'll be on your tail. Kyra is the future sister-in-law to my best friend. I will end you if you hurt her." She pokes me again for good measure. "Now, go get your girl!"

I nod and walk away, shaking off the whiplash she just gave me. Maybe I'll go find Ky and talk to her again. Maybe the two of us can get Jeff to see the possibilities instead of the problems.

Maybe not. But I have to try.

I can't keep going without her.

***

Kyra

"Where's Misty?" I ask after scanning the room and realizing she's not here anymore.

"Went for a run," Alison answers, not looking away from the view of the creek as she does.

We've been sipping our hot drinks and enjoying the cool morning air. Misty must have slipped away when I was getting my second cup.

"We should be getting ready soon. Our hike starts at eleven and I've got afternoon kid duty so Matt and the guys can go kayaking." Hannah stands and starts gathering empty cups as she heads into the kitchen. I follow her, grabbing a few more. We're just getting the water running when a knock sounds at the front door.

"Misty must have forgotten her key," Hannah says. "My hands are soapy. Can you let her in?"

"Sure." I head to the door with a sigh. "She could have gone around back to the deck."

But when I open the door it isn't Misty staring back at me.

"Pete." I glance over at Hannah who's back is to us as she dries the mugs. "What are you doing here?"

"I talked to Jeff."

I suck in a breath. "You did?" I look him up and down. No visible bruising. No blood stains on his clothes. "What happened?" I dare to ask.

"Not much. He lost his shit a little and I went for a walk. Bumped into Misty. Then I came here."

"Did Misty say something?" She'd been eyeing me all morning. I swear she's got some sixth sense, like a bloodhound. She's always sniffing out the drama.

"Does Misty ever stay quiet? Of course she said something. But that's beside the point. Misty doesn't have control over us."

I cross my arms. "You must not know Misty very well. She moves through the world exactly like a person with all the control."

Pete reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me onto the porch and into his waiting arms. "Misty can blow chunks. I'm here because I'm done letting everyone else decide for me. I'm taking over this thing between you and me."

"This thing?" I say sharply. "Nice way of putting it."

Pete cups my cheeks, planting a hard kiss on my lips. "Your brother told me there better not be a thing. I told him there absolutely was. I want to show him that 'this thing' is the best thing that's ever happened to me. It's the thing that straightened me out. If it wasn't for this thing I'd still be drowning in my own regrets, buried under blame and bitterness. This thing saved me from myself and now I'm ready for it to be The Thing that's the most important thing in my life."

He takes a breath. Or a few, actually. He's breathing really hard as though he ran the entire way here.

Maybe he did. I look him over and realize he's in this.

This thing, as he put it. But now I understand.

"I want it to be The Thing for me, too. I've wanted it forever with you. But Jeff-" Pete cuts me off with a kiss.

"Jeff doesn't understand because I've kept it hidden. We both have. But today, we come out of hiding and show him it's not what he thinks it is."

"When?"

"Right now."

"But I'm still in my pajamas." I sweep my hand down my body, showcasing my ratty old tourist shirt from back east and cotton sleep pants.

He rubs his jaw. "How fast can you get ready?"

I tap my chin playfully. "Ten minutes fast enough?"

"I'd say that's record time. I've never seen you get ready that fast. It was always a two-hour ordeal when we would hang out."

"I've matured over the last three years since you took off."

Pete draws me to him possessively, wrapping me up in a tight embrace. "You were always more mature than me." He kisses me tenderly. "I've always wished I was a good enough guy for you. So I went off and became the man you deserved."

"You were always the man I deserved."

Pete looks into my eyes. Then he leans in and kisses me. It's tender and sweet even as he tilts his head and parts his lips. His hand slides down my back, landing on my waist where he grips the skin under my shirt. I have one hand woven into his hair and the other gripping the back of his neck. We're standing in the open door of the cabin making out.

Until we're startled by a round of applause from inside the cabin and a wolf whistle from the base of the porch.

"Finally!" Alison shouts.

"Took you long enough," Misty laughs as she passes us on her way into the cabin. She smacks Pete's shoulder for good measure as she goes. "First dibs on the shower!"

"Um, I might miss out on today's hike," I say to the group. "Pete and I have to go talk to Jeff."

"Oh, I already did that," Misty says.

"When? You weren't gone long enough to get all the way to the other cabin, have a talk, and walk back," Pete says.

"That's because I bumped into Jeff when he ran after you, told him to pull his head out, that Kyra already has a dad and doesn't need a bro-dad, and that he was blind as a bat if he hadn't seen what the rest of us have for years."

"Pete's been gone for years." I throw in the unnecessary caveat for some reason.

"Bats aren't actually blind, Misty," Alison says. "It's just that their echolocation is much more precise than their vision, and that's only for bats who eat bugs. The kind that eats fruit can see just fine."

We all take a glance at Alison, who shrugs. "What? I like bats."

"Anyway," Misty says, turning back to Pete and me. "He should be a much better listener this time around."

"How did you know he didn't listen last time? You weren't there."

She rolls her eyes. "Duh. He's a guy who just found out one of his best friends has the hots for his sister. He's not gonna offer a peace pipe in that scenario."

With those parting words, Misty heads up to the shower, the rest of the girls scoot back to the kitchen and Pete and I are left alone, once again.

"Ten minutes?" he asks.

I nod. "Ten minutes. Wait here."

He gives me a reassuring kiss before I rush to my room to change. My clothes, and my life.

Who knew having a thing for my brother's friend would end up being the biggest thing in my life?

Misty, right? She's the girl who gets things done. Love her or hate her, at least she got Pete moving. Originally, I've had 10 chapters in mind for this, but there might be one or two more depending on how the next chapter goes. It might be a little rushed if not. We'll see.

I have already been working on back story for the next Hollywood book but writing this story made me think again about Gio and a story that's been in mind for him. I'm planning to write book 4 for Hollywood, and then very likely Gio's book.

The The felt like the right band for this chapter - all about The Thing between Pete and Kyra.

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Diva is making its mark out in the world. I'm excited for new readers to dive in and fall for Zack and Bree!