Andrew and I hop out of the cab just in time to see Hansel and Charlie being dragged out of the nightclub by two security guards. Faith stumbles behind them, her phone clutched in her hands.

I hurry over to my friends. “Oh my gosh. Why are you being kicked out of the nightclub? What did you do?” 

“This young man here tried to pee in the middle of the dance floor,” one of the guards snarls, glaring at Hansel.

“I recorded everything on my phone,” Faith announces, waving the device in the air and laughing.

“Thank you for bringing them outside, and we’re sorry about the trouble,” Andrew tells the guards. “We can take it from here.” He pulls Hansel’s arm around his neck and gestures for me to do the same with Charlie.

The guards nod and head back inside.

“What is Andrew doing here? Are you two… together?” Faith asks, shooting him a sideways glance.

“No.” I roll my eyes, ignoring the teasing smile on her lips.

“Let’s get Charlotte and Faith into the cab so it can take them home.” Andrew points at the cab waiting for us.

“How about us? How are we getting back to Monte Home?” I frown, struggling to keep Charlie on her feet.

“I’ll call another cab for us,” Andrew replies.

“Andrew, my honey-beer,” Charlie mumbles when she spots him. “Did you come to rescue me?” She grins.

“Honey-beer?” I turn to Andrew, arching an eyebrow.

“I think she means honey-bear,” he mutters, then shifts his attention to Faith. “Faith, do you think you can handle Charlotte on your own, or do you want our help?” He gestures between himself and me.

“I’m drunk, but not that drunk.” Faith giggles.

“Maybe we should go with them to their apartment,” I suggest, hesitating, a little worried about my friends’ safety.

“Honey-beer, do you remember when you used to treat me like an orange?” Charlotte manages to grab Andrew’s hand, holding on tightly.

“When did I ever treat you like an orange, Charlotte?” Andrew furrows his eyebrows in confusion as he gently pulls away, forcing her to let go.

“When you used to pay me a lot of attention every night,” she replies, making an intimate gesture, winking and licking her lower lip.

“That’s too much information,” I groan, grimacing. Unfortunately, my traitorous mind paints a quick picture of the two of them together. It lasts only a second, but it’s enough to annoy me.

“Emi, can you help Charlotte get into the cab? My hands are full,” he pleads, clearly hoping to avoid dealing with her drunken antics.

“Come on, Charlie; it’s time to go home,” I tell my friend, gently guiding her toward the cab. She climbs in willingly, much to my relief, and Faith follows suit, sitting beside her in the back seat.

The cab pulls away after I pay the driver enough for all of us and give him my friends’ addresses, just in case Faith dozes off.

“I’m calling another cab for us,” Andrew informs me as I step in front of him and Hansel.

“Mily, what are you doing here?” Lucas appears behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and dropping a quick peck on my left cheek.

“Lucas,” I squeal, grinning from ear to ear.

“You told me you were calling it a night. Were you deliberately trying to avoid me?” he accuses dramatically, narrowing his eyes.

I giggle. “Oh, shoot. I think I just got busted,” I joke, delighted to run into him here.

“How come I didn’t see you inside the nightclub?”

“Actually, I came to help Faith, Charlie, and Hansel,” I explain, nodding toward Hansel, who is almost dozing on his feet.

“And where are Faith and Charlie?”

“They are on their way to their apartment,” I reply.

“And your car?” Lucas insists, his beautiful eyes fixed on me.

“Andrew and I took a cab here because we had a few beers earlier.” 

“Andrew?” Lucas glares at him.

“Oh, yes. Lucas, this is Andrew. Andrew, Lucas,” I introduce them nonchalantly.

“What’s up? I’m Lucas Jackson.” Lucas shakes Andrew’s hand politely, though his tone is cold.

“Andrew Keegan,” Andrew replies just as dryly.

“Can I give you a ride home?” Lucas asks me.

“Yes, please,” I accept instantly, grateful for the offer.

“Great. My car is parked nearby.” He hooks my arm through his and starts guiding me away from the nightclub, with Andrew and Hansel following behind, the latter barely able to stay on his feet.

Five minutes later, I’m sitting next to Lucas in his car while Andrew and Hansel are settled in the back seat.

“How come you decided to go to the nightclub after we had dinner, Lucas?” I pry, curious.

“I met with my friends after I dropped you off, and we decided to go there to have some fun,” he responds. “Unlike you and your grandma attitude, I wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet.”

“You can’t blame me for wanting to sleep instead of getting kicked out of a club.” I laugh, pointing at Hansel, who is already asleep with his head resting on Andrew’s shoulder.

A brief silence follows before Lucas asks, “What about you? How did you end up drinking with Andrew?” There is a hint of jealousy in his voice, but it doesn’t faze me, as he has always been protective of me. Besides, he knows everything about my past with Andrew—and Charlie—which is why he can’t stand her.

“That’s a funny story, actually. I forgot my keys and couldn’t get into the apartment, so I decided to wait in the hall until Hansel got back,” I start, snorting at my own situation. “Andrew ran into me by chance and insisted on keeping me company.” I roll my eyes.

“That’s because I care about you, Emily. Besides, I would never leave you alone in the middle of the night or fail to show up for a date—unlike your friend.” Andrew’s voice cuts in from the back seat.

Lucas scowls at me, his hand resting on my thigh to get my attention. “What is that supposed to mean? Did you tell him I stood you up?”

“I-I—” I stammer, unsure what to say.

Lucas shoots Andrew a glare through the rearview mirror, sneering, “And I would never go after one of Mily’s friends if I knew she had feelings for me.”

I bury my face in my hands, shaking my head in disbelief. 

What the hell is wrong with these two? Are they trying to humiliate me or something?

“And I told Emily she needs to get over her fear of men and start putting herself out there again,” Hansel blurts out before slumping back, already half-asleep. “In fact, she hasn’t been with anyone since Lucas, which makes me think she has forgotten how to have sex.”

“Oh, dear god,” I mumble, not even daring to uncover my face, which must be as red as a pepper by now.

“You didn’t tell me I was your last, Mily,” Lucas smirks, probably smiling smugly.

“Did you two date, Emily?” Andrew presses, sounding irritated.

“Can we please stop talking about my life?” I snap as I uncover my face, feeling embarrassed and frustrated to no end.

A heavy silence settles inside the car for the next ten minutes, broken only by Hansel’s loud snoring every few seconds. 

Then Lucas speaks up again. “Is that true, Mily? Was I the last one?” he boasts, sounding and looking way too proud of himself.

I know him well—he won’t stop pestering me until I tell him the truth. So, I simply say, “Yes, Lucas. You were my last.”

“What is it? Haven’t you found another man like me?” His smug smile widens.

I roll my eyes, groaning, “Drop it, Lucas. I don’t want to talk about my love life right now.”

“You know we could relive that night anytime you want…” 

“Lucas…”His name comes out of my mouth as a warning.

“Fine.” He glances at me and winks flirtatiously before changing the topic. “What are your plans for Thanksgiving? My parents are inviting you, Mr. Sky, and Milo, to join us at our place in the Hamptons.”

“That’s very sweet, but we’re spending the holidays in Lancaster because my dad already made plans with a friend of his,” I explain, giving him an appreciative smile in return.

“That’s too bad. I’m going to miss you.” He takes my hand and brings it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

“That is my banana, Charlie. Give it to me, woman,” Hansel snarls in his sleep.

“I think Hansel is dreaming about Charlotte,” Andrew comments, amused.

“Are you jealous?” Lucas taunts, glancing at him through the rearview mirror again.

“I don’t know what Emily told you about Charlotte and me, but we were together a long time ago. She doesn’t mean anything to me anymore,” Andrew states.

“Let’s be honest, dude. You’re trying to make Charlie jealous by getting close to Mily,” Lucas taunts.

“Emily and I have been friends since high school,” Andrew shoots back.

“No, we haven’t,” I interrupt. “You were Charlie’s boyfriend, but you were never my friend,” I add, resisting the urge to turn and meet his eyes.

“I know.” Hansel laughs. “I’m from Jupiter, but my parents aren’t aware of my secret identity,” he mumbles, still half-asleep.

“As I was saying, I swear to god I’ll break your face if you mess with Mily’s heart again, Andrew. I mean it,” Lucas warns, lifting his fist for emphasis.

“What is your problem, man?” Andrew unbuckles his seatbelt and leans forward between Lucas and me.

“The wombats will conquer the world, and humans will be zombies until the end of time,” Hansel suddenly shouts, startling us.

“We’re here,” Lucas announces, pulling up in front of Monte Home.

“It’s two inches long when it’s erect,” Hansel mutters when Andrew nudges him awake to get out of the car.

“What do you think he’s talking about?” Lucas whispers in my ear, making me giggle.

“I would rather not know,” I reply, giggling again. “Thank you so much for bringing us home.” I lean in and kiss him on the cheek.

“Call me if you change your mind about Thanksgiving.” He grins, his natural charm shining through.

I smile broadly in return before stepping out of the car and closing the door behind me. He blows me a kiss, winks like always, and drives off, disappearing from view.

“Let’s get Hansel to bed, Emily,” Andrew says, holding Hansel by the waist, the latter’s arms hanging limply at his sides.

I nod, rushing to help him carry Hansel into the building and straight to his bedroom in our apartment, where we lay him on the bed.

“Mama, I need chocolate in my warm milk,” my roommate mumbles before drifting off, snoring within seconds.

“I guess my work here is done.” Andrew claps his hands, a playful smile on his face.

“Thank you for everything, Andrew,” I tell him softly as we head toward the front door.

“I had fun tonight,” he admits, stopping just outside the apartment, right in front of me.

“Me too,” I reply, lowering my gaze to my boots, afraid of getting lost in his mesmerizing eyes.

“So, you’re going back to Lancaster next week?” he asks, probably referring to Thanksgiving.

“Yes.”

“I see…” 

“How about you? I mean, where are you and your family spending the holidays?” My curiosity gets the better of me.

“My family is already in L.A., visiting one of my uncles, and I’m staying here in New York on my own,” he sighs, shifting on his feet.

“Why are you staying here by yourself?” I glance up, our eyes meeting for a brief second before I look away again.

“Because I don’t feel like spending Thanksgiving with my mother trying to convince me to marry her best friend’s daughter,” he scoffs.

Silence fills the air as I try to focus on my heartbeat and breathing. I feel so confused right now—I want to kiss Andrew, but at the same time, I don’t.

Tonight has been surprisingly pleasant, despite his banter with Lucas and Charlie’s comment about their past. Still, he will always be the teenager who broke my heart and made my teenage years miserable.

“I’ll see you around, Emi. Good night.” He presses a soft kiss to my cheek, catching me off guard and sending my heart into a frenzy.

I watch him press the elevator button, all the while my mind racing. I can’t stand the thought of him spending the holidays alone, but at the same time, there is always the possibility he won’t be alone for long, as I’m sure Mia would be more than happy to keep him company.

“Andrew,” I call out before I can register what I’m doing.

“Yes?” He turns to face me, a hint of eagerness in his expression.

“Would you like to—” I stop, pressing my lips together.

Don’t do it, Emily. Don’t even think about it. Don’t dig your own grave.

“What is it?” Andrews frowns, tilting his head.

“Would you like to spend the holidays with me, my dad, and our dog?” I blurt out.

What the hell, Emily?

“Thank you for the invitation,” he replies, smiling widely.

Please, say yes. No… please, say no.

“However, I wouldn’t want to intrude on your time with your family,” he concludes, declining politely, much to my disappointment—or relief. I can’t tell which feeling weighs heavier in my chest.

A second later, he steps into the elevator, gives me one last breathtaking smile, and disappears behind the closing doors, leaving me alone.

“He said no,” I whisper, my eyes welling up as a lump of sadness forms in my throat. “He rejected me again.”

* * *