Page 135 of Make Me Laugh

Tonight made my feelings for her immensely clear.

I want to fall asleep in bed next to Joey every chance I get. I want to come home to her after a long tour and fuck until we’re both too tired to keep our eyes open. I want to marry her, and if she wants to have babies, I want to raise kids with her in whatever house she chooses.

She showed me what it’s like to believe I deserve my second chance, and I want to spend the rest of my life laughing with her.

I’ve had two meetings with different talent agencies over the last few weeks, but I denied both of their offers. One wasn’t the right fit, and the other was too far from Boston.

I haven’t told anyone that’s what I’m hoping for, because as amazing as tonight was, Joey’s still going to try to leave when this is over.

Tonight wasn’t a change of heart. It was a lapse in her ever-strict judgment, because I showed her what it would look like to be loved by me every single day.

She’s still going to get scared and try to convince me I don’t love her.

But I do, and that’s the last thing I remember thinking before drifting off to sleep to the sound of Joey’s breathing.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

THE ONE WITH THE FRIENDS

Comment: Who else is a Hex fan and is going to one of the Detroit shows? I wanna meet some other bookish friends and do cute bookish stuff before night two!

Comment reply: YES PLS

MotorCityBooks comment reply: Should we host a Hexed pregame?

When I open my eyes, I’m no longer on West’s chest.

My heart falls, thinking he got up in the middle of the night and left, but when I roll over, he’s sprawled on his stomach, arms tucked under one pillow, with another over the back of his head.

I scoot over, pulling the extra pillow off, and throw myself over his back, burying my face in the crook of the shoulder his head is turned towards.

West groans a sleepy sound, but it’s content, a blissful hum. He reaches back with his hand, rubbing his fingers against my scalp gently.

The innocent touch has me crawling over him, wiggling under his arm, and letting him pull me into his chest as he adjusts our position. I nestle in and place a soft kiss on his throat. “Morning, Joey baby,” he mumbles.

“Morning,” I whisper back.

We lay in silence for a while, enjoying the quiet morning before the long weekend of shows ahead.

Not long after we wake, the floorboards to the old house announce our morning alarm before she does. “Jooooosette!” Frankie’s footsteps follow her long bellow of my name.

“Should I…” West shifts, but I shake my head.

“She knows. They all know. They’ve been betting on us since Philly.” I tug the duvet up, covering more of our naked bodies.

A knock with a Frankie-beat sounds, followed by her voice again. “Have you seen—” The door creaks open, and she pretends to be surprised. “Oh, my Lanta! Found him!”

Frankie’s standing in the middle, flanked by a smiling Kell and a stone-faced Enzo.

West slips his arms around me, trying to hide all of me from view. “Nothing to see here.” He rolls onto his elbows, hovering over me, and peeks down to see my naked body underneath his. Biting his lip, he breaks into a dimpled smile. “Now, me on the other hand?” He peeks over his shoulder. “I think breakfast is served, if you all don’t mind getting the fuck out?”

From where our friends are, I’m definitely completely hidden from view, but I hear Frankie’s size six foot stomp. “No way, you got her all day and all night. Put your dick away and give me my best friend, Westifer!”

West sighs an exaggerated sound. “Why did I even invite her here?” He mumbles it loud enough for everyone to hear.

I slap his arm, peeking around to see Frankie tapping her foot. “I thought you were excited for free comedy shows for the rest of your life?”

Frankie crosses her arms and sneers, too cute to look angry. “Whose side are you on, Josette Elizabeth?”