Page 64 of Friends with Benefits

“No.” Imogen shakes her head and Evie’s stomach drops beforetheydrop, understanding rattling her before her sister says, confirms, “I’m going, too.”

“You’re moving to Denver.”

Evie exits Big Thunder Mountain nauseous, though from the coaster or this news she’s not sure.

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Sloane hates LA and I love Sloane. So.” Imogen shrugs, then makes a pit stop for a churro on their way to meet back up with Theo. “It was easy. Saying yes.”

“What about your job?”

“Half my team is remote,” Imogen says. “It’s not an issue. At least until I figure out what’s next.”

“What’snext?”

“Yeah. Remember how into ceramics I was in high school? Maybe I’ll explore that. There’s a lesbian-owned pottery studio in the mountains outside Denver that looks like an idyllic dreamscape. I can sign up for classes, then apply for an apprenticeship. Maybe barista in the meantime! I don’t know! But it’s fun to dream about it… which feels like a sign? LA is all I’ve ever known. You know?”

“So you’re just going to…” Evie swallows.Leave me.“… uproot your entire life for someone you’ve been dating for less than a year?”

Imogen’s expression hardens. “I knew you were going to be like this.”

“Be like what?”

“A buzzkill.”

“It’s my job.”

“Except it’snot.” Imogen storms ahead, biting aggressively into the churro. “It’s really not.”

“Someone has to be logical.”

She pivots, then swallows. “Love isn’t logical. IloveSloane. I’m pretty sure I want to marry her. Eventually! And you know what I’ll do? I’llpropose. Not come up with some bullshit reasons to marry the person I love.”

“What does that mean?”

Imogen laughs. “Comeon.”

“Fuck off, Gen.”

Where is this coming from? She’s used to it from Pep. Not Imogen.NeverImogen. It cuts deep because Imogen knows—sheknows—how true those words once were. Every time Evie misread a moment and considered crossing the line from friendship into something more, Imogen was the one who comforted her in the aftermath. She knows who Theo is to Evie. Who he’s not.

“Sorry.” Imogen throws up her arms, cinnamon sugar churro dust flying. “I’m sorry. Can we not fight today?Please.”

Evie’s expression softens.

She has so many questions, so manyfeelingsabout Imogen’s news, but she swallows them because she knows in her bones that her little sister spilled the news today, here,at Disney-land, to have an out. No fighting on Thanksgiving. A Bloom sister rule. So she lets it go.

Besides, Imogen is in love for now.

Her lease isn’t up for six months.

“I’m sorry I’m a buzzkill.”

Imogen snorts. “You’re not.”

They reunite with Theo, who’s waiting under an awning with a chocolate-covered Mickey Mouse ice cream that’s melting faster than he can consume it. When he licks his fingers clean, Evie averts her eyes. Imogen’s eyebrows rise.Bitch.

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