Clem jumps off the couch, shoves me out of the way, and pokes her head through the door. “She’s coming. Just putting the finishing touches on her face.”
“Why don’t you come in her place? I’ll make it worth your while,” Tommy shouts back.
Clem pokes out her tongue and shakes her head. “Oh, look here she is!” she says with an indelicate shove of my shoulders.
“Hey!” I protest as I’m pushed out onto the landing. I glare at my friend, but she just shrugs.
“Go. Have fun, and maybe—this is just a crazy idea—but maybe you should consider telling him how you feel.”
I screw up my nose. “You’re right. Thatiscrazy.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she teases.
“I’m not even sure that’s possible. You doeverythingwith everyone.”
Clem frowns. “Hey, what are the rules of our house?”
“Try anything once and never slut shame a sister.” I pout.
“Damn straight. You’re on dish duty for a month.” Clem pulls me in for a hug and whispers. “Man up and tell him how you feel, Lo.”
“Damn! I didn’t realize we were getting a girl-on-girl show.”
“Fuck off, Mace,” Clem says as she pulls away and hands me my bag. I take it from her reluctantly and hurry down the stairs. Gabe leans over and opens the passenger side door. I jump in and give him, Tommy, and Mace a cheesy smile as I set my backpack on the floor between my feet. “Hi.”
“Hey, yourself.”
“Hey, aren’t you that girl in that magazine?” Tommy waggles his brows at me.
I bury my head in my hands. “Oh my god.”
Mace leans forward into the space between our seats, absently flipping through the pages, “I gotta say, Lo. You look fucking edible, but I think Gabe ruins this shoot.”
“Shut up, asshole,” Gabe says, shoving the magazine into Mace’s face. “You know we’ve been waiting here for twenty minutes while you got all dolled up.”
“I was not getting dolled up. I did that earlier.”
“Then why the hell did you take so long?”
“Clementine. She’s um ...”
“Oh, no. Not boy trouble again?” Tommy asks.
“Is it ever anything else with her?” Mace adds, putting a foot up on the center console.
I poke at his naked toe and wrinkle my nose. “Well to be fair, sometimes it’s girl trouble too. She slept with the new guy at work.” I make a mental note to text her later and thank her for being my scapegoat.
“Fuck. I kinda liked the idea of getting a front-row seat to some lesbian action again. Her and Bailey were fucking hot the other night.” Mace removes his foot and grabs my headrest, leaning into the small space between me and Gabe. My best friend clears his throat and we avoid one another’s eyeline. If I never hear the phrase “girl on girl” again, it’ll be too soon.
“So, you get snacks or what?” Mace asks.
“What kind of question is that?” I raise a brow at him.
“A legitimate one from a hungry man.”
“Of course I bought snacks.”
“Kind?” Gabe says.