For some reason, that makes me smile. “She’s pretty damn awesome.”
I drop the cake to the second trashcan in my office, and I shake my head. She’s definitely baking me a good cake now.
“The two of you are pretty damn perfect for each other, if you ask me,” he says, and my smile vanishes.
Too perfect. This almost seems like a cruel joke. Fate has a sadistic sense of humor if that’s the case.
***
BRIN
I squeal and dive into my room, locking the door behind me, but he’s at the window instead of the door, and the damn thing isn’t locked. It’s too dark to be running around the frigging house!
“Stop! I said I’m sorry,” I say through a laugh, but he just keeps coming.
“Your ass is mine!”
I giggle while darting out the door, and I run into Maggie’s room, barely getting the door slammed in time. Like a child scared of a closet monster, I dive onto Maggie’s bed and pull the covers over me.
“Maggie? Why are you already in bed?” I whisper, but the pounding on the door makes me scream, and I hear another scream that seems to echo.
When I jump back, trying to get closer to Maggie, my hand hits the smooth skin of her side and I grimace.
“Let me have her, Maggie!” Rye roars, and at the same time, I ask, “Are you naked?”
A throat clearing emerges from beside me, and a giggling sound comes from the other side of it. I give her side a light squeeze, prompting her to speak.
“This is a little awkward,” Carmen says, and I squeal, because it’s her naked side I’m holding—not Maggie’s.
Maggie’s laughter rolls out, and Rye goes silent at the door.
“I’m so, so, so, so, so, sorry,” I groan, ripping my hand off Carmen like it’s on fire.
“It’s fine,” Carmen says, a small bit of her own laughter in her voice.
“Carmen is in there?” Rye asks with a lilt to his voice. “And they’re naked?”
Oh good grief.
Carmen and Maggie both groan in unison, because they hear this sort of thing from men all the time. As though their relationship is meant to turn guys on. Idiots. But that’s not what Rye is doing. He’s just being a playful jerk, because he’s heard Maggie rant about it this past week.
“Can I come in?” he asks softly, trying to sound hopeful. Maybe he is being serious. After all, he is still just a guy.
We all start to say no, but I tilt my head and beat the other two girls. “They said yes. You can come in.”
In the pitch black of the room, I can hear it, but I can’t see when their heads whip around to me.
“I need a distraction,” I whisper.
Nothing gets said, but they both sigh.
“Really?” Rye says after a beat.
“Really,” I affirm, and I get up to go open the door and usher him in.
“Come on in, Rye. Get an eyeful,” Carmen says, playing along.
I really like her right now.