In Love With Him

Chapter 40

Kennedy POV

“You’re free,” I said, managing a playful smile as I sat up on the couch.

But the truth? I didn’t want him to go.

These last few days—this whole week really—had been the best part of a pretty awful situation. I had expected pain, bed rest, and probably some awkward moments with Dominic taking care of me. What I didn’t expect was… well, him.

We were learning so much about each other. Like how we had almost identical taste in music. We both loved Post Malone, Avenged Sevenfold, and Marshmello, Paramore, even older stuff like Nirvana and Radiohead and more. Even Bryce Savage, it was kind of surreal.

And then there was the way he took care of me. Not out of obligation. It never felt like that. He’d bring me food, adjust my pillows, and stop me every time I tried to do something for him. I tried to sneak into the kitchen a couple times to make him a sandwich or grab a snack for him, and every time, without fail, he’d catch me and scoop me up like a misbehaving toddler and carry me back to the couch or bed.

At first, I pouted. Now it was our little game. And I kind of… loved it.

The pain had faded to something dull and manageable. A little sore here and there, but I could move around better now. Thank God. I could finally change out my tampons and pull my pants up by myself again. Helen had been a saint, but still, there are just some things you’d rather do on your own.

Just as I was about to make a comment to Dominic, the front door burst open.

“KENNEDYYYYYY!” Max came barreling in like a human bowling ball, arms flailing with excitement.

Marty and Finn were right behind him. Marty barely slowed down before tossing a stack of papers into my lap.

“Hi, Mr. Smith,” she said sweetly to my dad, who hadn't moved from the archway of the living room. “Here’s all your homework, b***h,” she finished with a grin as she plopped onto the couch next to me.

“Thanks?” I muttered, rifling through the stack.

Finn handed me a paper with a more mischievous expression. “Mr. Beckett said he hopes you feel better soon. He also said your ‘homework is to get better,’ so you can return to his class. He misses you.”

Then Marty made loud kissing noises like a 12-year-old.

“Oh my God,” I groaned, my face heating up. “Jesus Christ, stop!”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad and Dominic both whip their heads toward me like synchronized swimmers.

“Who?” they said at the exact same time.

I blinked. “What?”

Marty, of course, opened her big mouth before I could stop her. “Mr. Beckett,” she said smugly, “is Kennedy’s young hot fresh out of college English teacher who has a crush on her.”

My dad’s face changed instantly. Eyebrows raised. Jaw locked. The shift from Dad Mode to Full-On Lawyer-Dad Mode was immediate.

“Excuse me?” he said, his voice cold and sharp. “He’s a teacher. That is highly inappropriate. Do I need to make a call to the school?”

“I—Dad!” I gasped, full-body mortification washing over me. “She’s kidding! She reads too many of those stupid smutty fanfiction stories! Mr. Beckett is just really nice. He’s friendly to everyone. I’m just his favorite because I actually do my work. And he’s married.”

“Unhappily,” Finn mumbled under his breath.

I shot him a look that could’ve started a fire.

My dad’s jaw was still tight. I could practically see the legal argument forming behind his eyes.

Marty smiled like the chaos goblin she was, fully enjoying this. “I’m just saying,” she added casually, “he does stare at her a lot. Like in that intense way. You know? Like a w*****d love interest in a forbidden student/teacher romance novel—”

“Marty,” I hissed.

“—except less hot and more ethical nightmare,” she continued.

“Marty!” I said louder, shooting her a death glare.

My dad rubbed his temples. “Okay, that’s enough,” he muttered. “I’ll let it go… for now. But if he so much as breathes inappropriately, I want to know.”

“Noted,” I sighed.

I felt Dominic shift beside me. He hadn’t said a word during the whole exchange, but I could feel his eyes on me. Curious. Protective.

Maybe even… jealous?

I didn’t dare look at him.

Then Max came over, much more low-key than when he first stormed in. He handed me a notebook he’d been doodling in.

“I made you a superhero version of yourself,” he muttered, sounding like he didn’t want anyone else to hear. “It’s kinda dumb but… yeah.”

I flipped the page and smiled. It was a sketch of me in a hospital gown, standing on a pile of homework with a cape made out of a blanket and a crown that said "Queen Enny." He still called me that nickname sometimes when he wanted to be affectionate—Enny—one he gave me when he couldn’t pronounce my name as a toddler. It stuck.

I nudged his arm. “Thanks, Max. It’s not dumb. It’s actually really awesome.”

He shrugged and plopped into the beanbag chair near the couch, pulling out his Switch like he hadn’t just made my heart melt.

And still, the whole time, I could feel the weight of Dominic’s silence beside me.

Heavy. Unreadable.

I made my way upstairs with Marty and Finn trailing behind me. I still moved pretty slow, but I was proud of the fact I didn’t need help anymore. One week ago, I couldn’t even bend over without wanting to die, and now I could manage stairs without assistance. Progress.

They followed me into my room like little gremlins, instantly throwing themselves across my bed like they owned the place.

I gently lowered myself onto the edge of the mattress, clutching my stomach just in case I moved too fast and pissed off my healing incision. Marty kicked her shoes off, Finn was already half-buried under my pillows, and I stared at them like they were insane.

“Okay,” I said, shooting Marty a death glare. “What the actual f**k were you thinking downstairs?”

Marty blinked innocently. “About what?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe yelling about my married English teacher supposedly having a crush on me right in front of my dad—you know, the one who happens to be a lawyer and will literally sue a teacher for smiling too long in my direction?”

Marty burst out laughing and waved me off. “Pfft, it’s fine. He doesn’t have any evidence.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? He’ll just have Helen make evidence. You’ve seen her. She’s terrifying.”

That got both of them laughing.

“She probably has, like, a fake blood kit and a typewriter ready to forge emails,” Finn snorted.

“She’s probably already halfway through the lawsuit,” I muttered.

Then Marty leaned in, eyes sparkling. “Sooo… how was spending some... alone time with your ‘stepbrother’ all week?”

I groaned. “You’re impossible.”

Marty wiggled her eyebrows. “What? I haven’t been laid in a week. I need something hot and juicy.”

I scoffed, gently flopping back on the bed beside them. “Marty, what do you think we’ve been doing? I’ve barely been able to wipe my own ass or put a tampon in.”

Marty suddenly sat up like she’d been electrocuted. “Wait. Did Dominic help you put your tampons in?!”

I nearly died on the spot. “NO! For f**k’s sake, go watch some porn, you horny skank!”

Marty wheezed with laughter.

Finn just looked like he was watching the best sitcom of his life. “Okay but seriously—what did you guys do for a whole week if it wasn’t super inappropriate?”

I rolled my eyes. “He made me lunch, made sure I rested, we watched Euphoria on his laptop… and we, I don’t know… snuggled.”

Finn choked on his spit. “Did you just say snuggled? Who even says that? What are you, a Victorian orphan?”

Marty cackled. “That’s some pre-pubescent Twilight type of energy right there. Someone who's never seen a d**k before."

“Oh my God,” I muttered, “I have seen a d**k,” I snapped defensively.

“Seeing one on Euphoria doesn’t count!” she fired back. “I mean a real one. On a real man. Up close. Preferably in good lighting.”

I groaned and dragged a pillow over my face.

Finn kicked his feet off the bed. “Girl, we seriously need to get you laid.”

“Oh my god,” I muffled into the pillow trying to suffocate myself.

“I’m serious,” Marty declared. “As soon as you’re fully recovered, we’re going on a mission. Operation: Get Kennedy Laid.”

“Nope, we're not doing that,” I groaned.

Marty smirked. “Then we’ll call it Code: DK69- Deflower Ken.”

Finn wheezed.

I threw the pillow at her face.