descend into the main family room, where a fireplace is roaring—despite the fifty degrees outside.
Cubby just couldn’t resist.
As I rip open a bag of chips and pour them into the large red serving bowl Shelby plunked down in front of me, she gives me a sidelong glance from the sink, where she’s cutting up a tomato for some taco dip. “So…?” She lets her voice trail off suggestively.
I blink back.
She cocks her head at me and plants a hand on her hip. “Well?” Now she’s got her eyebrows shooting up into her hairline, and she’s gazing at me expectantly as holds the pronged knife that’s now dripping tomato juice on the tile floor.
I’m confused as shit right now.
“Well… what ?”
Shelby rolls her eyes and goes back to cutting the tomato. “You know .”
“Pretty sure I don’t.”
“Oh, please. Hello… Abby is here. Are you nervous ? ”
I grab the shredded cheese that has been sitting on the counter in front of me, resisting the urge to rip the thin plastic bag in half like the Incredible Hulk and wondering how the fuck I got stuck helping her prepare the snacks to begin with. “Nervous about what?”
Shelby waves a hand airily to and fro then flips her long platinum-blonde hair flippantly before lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Blaze told me you haven’t made a pass at her yet, and we all see the way you watch her. We don’t know what you’re waiting for.”
Fucking. Blaze .
“Oh, Blaze told you that, huh?” I hiss, glaring at her. The thing is, she doesn’t look the least bit put out by my mood swing. Or maybe she’s just that dumb. Or maybe she just doesn’t give a crap.
Another hair flip. “Um, yeah. He tells me everything. Cause, hello .” She strikes a pose, inviting me to ogle her by propping her knife-free hand on her hip, sticking out her impressive artificial chest and making a duck face with her cherry-red lips.
“I’m speechless,” I mutter, mostly to myself.
“Why, thank you.” She takes that as a compliment and preens a little. “Listen. Can I give you some advice?’
“As if I could stop you,” I respond dryly without the barest hint of a smile.
Shelby gives a twinkly laugh. “You’re so hilarious.” She begins spreading the diced tomatoes evenly onto the taco dip tray, and continues. “Can you hand me that bag of cheese? Thanks. Anyway, as I was saying—just some friendly advice, since you’re Blaze’s best friend and all—”
“I am?” Since when?
She laughs again like I’m the funniest guy. “Just try smiling this weekend, ‘kay? You look so angry all the time. We don’t want you scaring the poor girl away.”
Here we go again with the we .
“Is that your friendly advice?”
She rolls her eyes. “Well… yeah.”
I suddenly feel really bad for Blaze, because Shelby can be such an airhead sometimes. Don’t get me wrong; most of the time she’s a real sweetheart, but sometimes I worry the elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor. But what she said made me think, and I glance back to where Abby stands, hovering on the fringes of the kitchen, looking as uncomfortable as I feel, even surrounded by her friends.
***
Abby : Guess where I am…
Cecelia: Please tell me you’re in the basement of a fraternity house doing body shots …
Abby: GUH! Seriously. Why would you say that ? You just ruined my fun .
Cecelia: Blah blah blah, stop keeping me in suspense .
Abby: We took a road trip to the Dells, and now we’re all holed up in this rental cabin, getting changed into our pajamas, then watching movies .
Cecelia: And might I ask—who is WE ?????
Abby: You know. The gang… Weston, Molly, a few guys from the team. Caleb …
Cecelia: I can see you blushing from here.
Abby : Ugh, I am! I can’t help it. I feel like this is my very first crush…
Cecelia :…and what a wonderful feeling that is! Now go dazzle him with your brand of Abby awkward…
CHAPTER 12
Abby
“Jenna, where are the pajamas I put in
Cubby just couldn’t resist.
As I rip open a bag of chips and pour them into the large red serving bowl Shelby plunked down in front of me, she gives me a sidelong glance from the sink, where she’s cutting up a tomato for some taco dip. “So…?” She lets her voice trail off suggestively.
I blink back.
She cocks her head at me and plants a hand on her hip. “Well?” Now she’s got her eyebrows shooting up into her hairline, and she’s gazing at me expectantly as holds the pronged knife that’s now dripping tomato juice on the tile floor.
I’m confused as shit right now.
“Well… what ?”
Shelby rolls her eyes and goes back to cutting the tomato. “You know .”
“Pretty sure I don’t.”
“Oh, please. Hello… Abby is here. Are you nervous ? ”
I grab the shredded cheese that has been sitting on the counter in front of me, resisting the urge to rip the thin plastic bag in half like the Incredible Hulk and wondering how the fuck I got stuck helping her prepare the snacks to begin with. “Nervous about what?”
Shelby waves a hand airily to and fro then flips her long platinum-blonde hair flippantly before lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Blaze told me you haven’t made a pass at her yet, and we all see the way you watch her. We don’t know what you’re waiting for.”
Fucking. Blaze .
“Oh, Blaze told you that, huh?” I hiss, glaring at her. The thing is, she doesn’t look the least bit put out by my mood swing. Or maybe she’s just that dumb. Or maybe she just doesn’t give a crap.
Another hair flip. “Um, yeah. He tells me everything. Cause, hello .” She strikes a pose, inviting me to ogle her by propping her knife-free hand on her hip, sticking out her impressive artificial chest and making a duck face with her cherry-red lips.
“I’m speechless,” I mutter, mostly to myself.
“Why, thank you.” She takes that as a compliment and preens a little. “Listen. Can I give you some advice?’
“As if I could stop you,” I respond dryly without the barest hint of a smile.
Shelby gives a twinkly laugh. “You’re so hilarious.” She begins spreading the diced tomatoes evenly onto the taco dip tray, and continues. “Can you hand me that bag of cheese? Thanks. Anyway, as I was saying—just some friendly advice, since you’re Blaze’s best friend and all—”
“I am?” Since when?
She laughs again like I’m the funniest guy. “Just try smiling this weekend, ‘kay? You look so angry all the time. We don’t want you scaring the poor girl away.”
Here we go again with the we .
“Is that your friendly advice?”
She rolls her eyes. “Well… yeah.”
I suddenly feel really bad for Blaze, because Shelby can be such an airhead sometimes. Don’t get me wrong; most of the time she’s a real sweetheart, but sometimes I worry the elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor. But what she said made me think, and I glance back to where Abby stands, hovering on the fringes of the kitchen, looking as uncomfortable as I feel, even surrounded by her friends.
***
Abby : Guess where I am…
Cecelia: Please tell me you’re in the basement of a fraternity house doing body shots …
Abby: GUH! Seriously. Why would you say that ? You just ruined my fun .
Cecelia: Blah blah blah, stop keeping me in suspense .
Abby: We took a road trip to the Dells, and now we’re all holed up in this rental cabin, getting changed into our pajamas, then watching movies .
Cecelia: And might I ask—who is WE ?????
Abby: You know. The gang… Weston, Molly, a few guys from the team. Caleb …
Cecelia: I can see you blushing from here.
Abby : Ugh, I am! I can’t help it. I feel like this is my very first crush…
Cecelia :…and what a wonderful feeling that is! Now go dazzle him with your brand of Abby awkward…
CHAPTER 12
Abby
“Jenna, where are the pajamas I put in
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