Page 112 of Meet Cute Reboot

I watch Cassie’s anger melt into resolve. “No. I think I’ve heard enough. Goodbye, Luke.” She whisks past me.

“Cassie, no.” I follow her onto the porch. “This isn’t what it looks like. I’m not with Macy. Cassie!”

She pauses in the front yard and spins around. “Then what is it, Luke? Tell me what it’s really like.”

“I paid for her kid’s ear tubes. I fixed her transmission.”

Cassie narrows her eyes at me.

“Macy and I had a thing in L.A. but it’s over. I’ve been helping her out with—”

“Is that why she kissed you?”

“I don’t know why she kissed me.” I rush toward Cassie, but she backs away.

Macy comes barreling toward us both. “He kissed me because he loves me!”

I catch Macy before she attacks Cassie. Macy takes the opportunity to grab my neck and pull me down for another kiss.

“Get off me,” I sputter as I push her away.

“It’s over, Luke. This time forever!” Cassie doesn’t look at me, just walks swiftly and purposefully to her SUV.

I follow her and Korg follows me, jumping excitedly. He thinks we’re playing. “Down, Korg!”

Convinced I’m trying to stifle him, Korg runs over to Cassie and begs for pets until her leg disappears into the car and the door shuts. Undeterred, he runs back to me and hops around in a happy dance, the antithesis of my current emotional state.

After Cassie’s car disappears down the road, I spin around and rage at Macy with a string of expletives fit for a Navy ship’s mess hall. She looks at me like I’m a rotting corpse and backs into the house. I follow her.

“What makes you think you can barge into my house and kiss me without permission!?”

Macy is still retreating. She bumps into the bottom stair and teeters on her feet before plopping onto the third step.

“I was trying to smooth things over with Cassie and now she thinks I’m cheating on her!”

Macy leans over on her knees and covers her face. Soft whimpers filter through the gaps in her fingers.

I’m being a complete tool. I’m angry, but I don’t have to go into beast mode.Calm down, Luke.I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a moment. Korg pants at my feet. “Why did you come here?” I say as calmly as possible.

Macy lowers her hands. “I can’t—L.A. is too—” A sob interrupts each sentence.

“I’m sorry I cussed you out. I’m just—You came at a really bad time. And we’re not a couple anymore. Why did you think you could kiss me and threaten my—?”

“Threaten who? Your girlfriend?” Macy spits out.

“No, she’s not my girlfriend. You know who Cassie is. She’s the reason I moved to L.A.”

“And she’s the reason you moved back here.” Her tone is mocking.

I feel anger boil in my gut again, but I tame my tongue. “You barged into my house, kissed me, tried to pick a girl fight, and chased away my date.”

Macy gasps. Tears spurt from her eyes. She covers her face again.

“Why does that upset you?” My words are clipped. I’m about over the drama act. Macy is a master at playing the victim.

“I thought maybe we could work things out,” she says between sobs. “You’ve been so nice, and I’ve had time to think.”

“Where’s Gabe?”