Intertwined

chapter twenty-seven

IN THE BLINK of an eye Christmas and New Year are over, and I'm back in Los Angeles. The usual ache I get leading up to my departure from my parents and from the place I grew up calling home replaced with the excitement in knowing I'm only a few short hours from getting to see Rhett. It's a new feeling, one I'm not used to, but I'm not giving myself time to overthink it.

I just want to see my boyfriend.

"Emmy!" Greyson's voice carries when I step outside LAX, spotting him standing at the passenger side of his Jeep with Robyn at his side. A grin curls up on my lips as I run to meet him, his arms instantly wrapping around me in a tight squeeze. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I say, burying my face in his neck as I lean on my toes to meet his full height. The words don't even have to leave my lips before his arms are tightening around me, giving me my answer to my unspoken Robyn question.

"Good," he whispers. "They're good."

My lips curl up as my hands slide down to his biceps, giving them a tight squeeze. He takes my duffle back from my shoulder and my smile widens as I open my arms, greeting Robyn with a warm hug. "Hey Robyn," I say, giving her a tight squeeze as my arms wrap around her shoulders. "I'm sorry my best friend is so stupid."

"He figures it out eventually," Robyn says, shooting Greyson a loving look and my stomach twists in excitement at the love on my best friend's face. He really almost let that feeling go. That overwhelming, toe curling kind of happiness you get when you're with the person that makes the world a little brighter.

"God, you two are cute," I say with a cheesy grin on my face.

Robyn cheeks warm. "Yeah, we kind of are, aren't we?"

"The cutest," Greyson says as he moves toward the driver's door. I slide into the back seat and dig through my purse for my phone to text Rhett before thinking better of it. He knows I'm coming home today, but with him on shift, the idea of turning this into a surprise causes excitement to bubble up in the pit of my stomach. "How was your visit, Em?"

"It was good," I say. "Really good. I've missed them, but I'm glad to be home."

Greyson's smile brightens. "Get to do all your weird traditions?"

"Skating in Time Square is not weird," I say with the roll of my eyes. "But yes, I did. I got to skate and bake cookies with mom. We even decorated the tree together."

"I miss Christmas traditions," Robyn sighs. "And snow. Was it pretty?"

"It was cold," I tell her. "But definitely pretty."

"We should go to New York," Robyn says, her gaze moving to Greyson. "I've never been, and we can visit Isaac."

"Isaac is in Rhode Island, Rob," Greyson says with a low laugh. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind making the trip up to New York to see us," he tells her with a sweet smile, before his attention shifts to me again. "Em, you hungry? We were thinking about stopping for lunch."

"Actually, could you just take me home? I want to go see Rhett," I share. We'd been texting nonstop since I left for New York, and I miss him more than I thought was humanly possible.

"Do I ask?"

"He's my boyfriend now," I share.

He turns his head, his jaw slack. "You didn't say anything."

"It happened the night before I left. I figured I'd tell you when I got home," I say with a shrug. "Besides, it looks like you had your hands full."

"Wait, who's Rhett?" Robyn asks, twisting in her seat to look at me. Her brown eyes brightening as she presses into the seat. "Why haven't I heard of him?"