Holden bursts into laughter. He doubles over, clutching his stomach as he cracks up. “About time someone called you on it.”
“Was that supposed to be a secret?” Ariel frowns. “Sorry, Forest, but—”
“It’s fine,” I say.
“And Skye volunteered?” She looks at Skye knowingly.
Skye clears her throat. “Actually, I asked him to do it. Mackenzie is just…”
“She’s awful,” Ariel says. “But this is still stupid.”
Holden laughs harder.
Ariel looks at me. “Should I lie?”
Skye blushes. “No, uh, you’re right. It is stupid. But it’s really a favor to me. I have to beg him—”
“Go on.” Holden winks.
Skye rolls her eyes. “I had to beg him to do this.” She takes a long sip of her Moscow Mule. “Come on, Ariel. Let’s get dinner.”
“Oh yeah, can we do Thai?” Ariel’s eyes light up. “I’ve been craving Thai basil for three weeks straight.”
“We made Thai on Sunday.” We still do family dinner every week, whether Dad is in town or not. Right here. In this living room.
“Yes, and I’m still craving Thai basil.” She looks at me obviously. “Just me and you.”
The bathroom door opens. Daisy steps outside. She looks at the scene with that same wide-eyed innocence.
Ariel completely misses it. She nods. “Hey, Daisy.”
“Hey.” Daisy smiles.
“You want to get Thai with us?” Ariel asks.
“And talk about Charlotte,” Skye says.
“And other things.” Ariel shoots Skye a knowing look.
Daisy looks to Holden. When he nods go for it, she offers the girls a yes.
“You inviting us?” Holden asks.
“No boys allowed.” Ariel hugs Holden. “But we’ll talk later.”
“We will?” he asks.
“Oh yeah. Someone has to tell you what a dick you’re being,” she says.
I chuckle.
“You too, Forest.” My sister waves goodbye.
She wraps her arm around Skye. Immediately starts gushing about her baby daddy Chase. And about her baby. And how horny the pregnancy is making her.
Fuck, I’m crazy excited to be an uncle. It’s the best news I’ve had in forever.
But that is too much information.
Holden waits until the girls are out the door, then he turns to me. “She asked you to do this, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Because she hates Mack?”
“Yeah.”
“You really believe that?” he asks.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Dunno… just seems like a lot of effort. For hate.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask.
“Maybe there’s a simpler explanation.”
I stare at him, trying to figure out what he means.
“It is the chance to kiss you.”
“And?”
“She’s pretty into that. And you—you were waving the black flag.”
“So?” There’s no doubt I want to fuck Skye. Maybe she wants to fuck me too. But that doesn’t mean anything.
Sex isn’t always important, meaningful, beautiful.
Sometimes it’s just a way to come.
Maybe that’s all she wants from me.
Maybe she also sees me as a tattooed bad boy with a hot body. A box to check before she gets with a guy who wears a suit to work.
“You ever wonder why Skye spends all her time with you?” he asks.
“We’re friends.”
“Think about it, Forest.” He shakes his head God, you’re stupid. Shrugs. Shifts back to I am the most difficult guy in the universe Holden I know so well. “I’m saying. If you’re gonna continue being an idiot, I might have to change the odds on some of these bets.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Look at the evidence. Figure it out. I have money on you being smarter than this. Money I don’t want to lose.”
I flip him off.
He shakes his head it’s sad how little you see.
Chapter Twenty-One
Skye
The waitress smiles as she drops off our drinks. Thai tea with coconut milk for me. Water for Ariel. (Much to her eternal pout). A plain iced tea for Daisy.
She nods thank you. Takes a dainty sip.
She’s dressed well for a high school girl, but it’s still obvious she is a high school girl. I’m not sure why. Her posture is good—amazing for a teenager. Her dress is pretty. A simple wrap in a warm shade of pink that flatters her light complexion.
Her makeup isn’t quite right—her lips are too red for her look, her eyeshadow is too light—but it’s nice.
I guess it’s all the little things, together.
Don’t get me wrong. She’s gorgeous. I can see why Holden is interested. If he is.
I really can’t tell with him.
Besides, it’s probably less her looks and more the whole shy, innocent, soon to be legal thing.
I tear the paper off my straw. Take a long, delicious sip of my Thai iced tea. It’s not my usual drink—it’s full of both artificial colors and flavors—but there’s something about the creamy coconut milk, the rich tea, whatever it is that makes it this shade of orange.
My groan is too loud.
“Save something for Forest.” Ariel laughs as she takes a long sip of water. She motions to the drink can I?
“Of course.” I offer it to her.
“Don’t tell him. Or Chase.” She stifles her own moan. “He rides me hard about the caffeine.”
“He rides you hard?” Daisy’s voice is half joke, half question. She is shy. And she’s not in the right environment to shine.