Best Kept Promise (Best Kept #2)

Chapter 40: Uncle Benji

*Small Note: The fight at the beginning is not meant to be taken seriously lol.

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"We've spent the past couple of weeks either in your room or my apartment," Tyler says. "Just let me take you to dinner, Mags."

"You want to go to Kres, Tyler. That place is expensive. We don't have to go anywhere."

Tyler rubs the side of his jaw where Peter hit him yesterday. "I told you money isn't a problem and I already made reservations yesterday. I told you that I was doing it."

I settle my hands on my hips. "And I told you to cancel them. I don't need you to spend a lot of money on me—"

"I want to, Maggie," he interrupts and steps closer. "You've been so busy with school and I've been busy with music, we haven't been out in awhile. We should keep the reservations and you should get ready."

I shake my head. "We don't have to go. There are other things we could do that involve less money, Ty. Maybe we could find something else to do tonight. We're already going out tomorrow to celebrate your music video release."

"Why are you so damn stubborn?" He nearly yells. "I want to take you out. I want to spend tonight with you. Why are you making things so difficult?"

"Because!" I yell back. "I don't want you to spend money on me! I'm telling you that you don't have to do these things! I'm perfectly fine—"

"Are you not listening?" He shouts. "I want to take you. This is my idea, not yours. Money is not an issue, Maggie, don't think about that."

"Of course I'm going to think about it! You should spend the money on something for the band instead."

Tyler shakes his head. "The band doesn't need anything and I'd really like to take my girlfriend out to dinner."

My anger boils under my skin and I clench my jaw. "You know what?" I take a step closer to him. "I love you, idiot."

Tyler's face instantly drops. "What?"

"Wait—no, I didn't mean to say that. I was gonna say that you're an idiot—"

"Shut up," he says and closes the space between us. "Please, just shut up."

I look up at him. "No, you shut up."

"Are you six, Maggie?"

"Seven, actually, I'm seven." I jab his chest.

Tyler grips my face and bows his head until our lips connect. At first, I don't want to kiss him back, but the further he reels me in, the more I want to respond.

I give in and finally kiss him back. Lifting my hands, I brace them on the sides of his neck because I don't think I could get him close enough. He tilts his head back for a second and says, "I love you too by the way."

Our lips find a new connection and I struggle to pull him as close as I want.

"This doesn't fix anything," I breathe before kissing him again.

Tyler's hands fall to my hips. "It's a small Band-Aid." He presses his palms against my thighs and I jump. My legs wind around his waist and the kiss deepens with the easier angle. My mouth opens under his and I taste the subtle hint of mint on Tyler's tongue.