Lizzie smiles. “What are you two doing today?”
“Just stopped by to give this guy a hard time,” he says, hooking a thumb in my direction. “I’m getting ready to leave, and he’s going to do your laundry.”
Lizzie’s face lights up. “Oh, good! It’s piling up.”
“Can I add my laundry to it? Millie hates doing laundry.”
“No, you can’t.” I snatch my phone back and move across the room.
“Tell Calvin not to leave,” Lizzie says. “You might need his hel
p carrying the laundry baskets.”
“Jesus, woman, how much laundry do you have?”
She shrugs. “Only four loads.”
“Four loads?” How on Earth does a woman produce that much laundry?
“What?” she says, high-fiving Emily. “I’ve been saving it up because I knew you would lose. Plus, there’s towels and my bedding. I plan on taking full advantage of this arrangement.”
“I can tell.”
“This’ll teach you to bet me.”
“Wait, you’re doing her laundry because you lost a bet? What the hell did you bet on?” Calvin asks.
“Nothing.” I shove my brother away when he tries to get in front of the phone. Lizzie, Sarah, and Emily are all laughing.
“I’ll tell you later,” Lizzie yells for Calvin to hear.
“Deal.”
“I’m hanging up now,” I say.
“Wait. I won’t be home for a while, but you know how to get into my apartment.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I end the call and catch my brother trying to sneak out my front door. “Stop.”
Calvin sighs and turns around. “I’ve got to get to work.”
“Bullshit. You own the business. You can go in whenever you feel like it. Help me get Lizzie’s laundry.”
Calvin moans and bitches but follows me to Lizzie’s apartment. He waits by the front door while I grab the first basket. I hand it to him, and he turns for my apartment while I go grab another basket.
On my way down the hall, I see Lizzie’s laptop sitting on the kitchen table. It’s open, but the screen is black. I keep walking and then come to a halt when I remember how quickly she shut it the other night when I showed up at her place. She was being secretive about whatever she was doing. The question is, why?
Curiosity gets the best of me. I set the laundry basket down and walk into the kitchen.
I hear the front door shut and feel Calvin step up behind me. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, forget about it. Walk away, man.”
“I’m not thinking anything.”
“Bull. I can see it on your face, and I’m telling you right now that nothing good is going to come from you snooping through her laptop.”
“I’m not snooping. I haven’t even touched it.” But I want to. I know it’s wrong, but damnit, I want to. I nudge her flimsy kitchen table with my knee. The jolt causes the mouse to move, and would you look at that, Lizzie’s computer comes to life.
I grin at Calvin.