Page 57 of Kiss Me, Maybe

“If you think I’m letting you anywhere near potential blackmail material when you invited them over here without telling me—”

He bounds up the stairs at a run, and my hands curl into fists. I don’t have time for this. Apparently, I have dinner for seven people to prepare.

Twenty-Five

What do you cook when the woman you orgasmed in the same room with and the cousins who tortured you all throughout high school and are currently avoiding like the plague come over for dinner? According to Marcela, pasta is always a winner. Especially when you don’t really know how to cook to begin with.

“Did Julian say when they were coming over?” she asks as she dusts a pinch of salt into a pot of water.

“Nope.” I hand her the box of penne noodles. “But Krystal should be here in about”—I glance down at the stove clock—“thirty minutes.”

“I’m here for whatever you need when they arrive. Heck, I’ll even use Theo as a diversion if I have to. Do your cousins care about football?”

“They probably won’t recognize him, but Theo’s hot and Briana and Esme are straight, so that should give me a solid half hour of peace. How long does the chicken go in, again?”

Her eyes flick to the oven’s screen. “You know you have to preheat the oven first, right?”

“Shit. How long does it take to preheat?”

“Here.” She knocks my hand away, pressing buttons until the timer is set. “We won’t be ready by the time Krystal gets here, but maybe we’ll have it together by the time your cousins show up.”

She’s at least half right. When the doorbell rings a half hour later, I allow myself to step away from the kitchen to call out, “Come in!” As the door swings open, it occurs to me I have no idea who will be behind it. I cross my fingers until the side of Krystal’s head comes into view, hands in the pockets of her jeans, her bright yellow top like a beacon and brown sandals at her feet.

“You made it!” The relief in my tone is obvious.

“Any reason why I wouldn’t have?” Her expression shifts as her eyes scan me up and down. “What’s wrong?”

How does shedothat?

Before I can give her the recap, Theo rises from the couch and juts out his hand. “Nice meeting you again, Krystal.”

“So polite, isn’t he?” Julian has appeared by my side as if by magic. I didn’t even notice him leave the couch. Marcela emerges from the kitchen to greet Krystal, their arms encircling each other tentatively. My best friend is still wary of Krystal, and I haven’t found a moment to try and convince Marcela otherwise. “Feels like I shouldn’t be here.”

I glance over at him, surprised. “What? Why would you say that?”

“This is practically a double date. I’m fifth wheeling, at least until the cousins crash. I would’ve tried harder to ward them off had I known everyone would be here.”

“It’s not a double date.” But it comes out half-hearted,maybe from how much I suddenly want it to be true. “And it definitely won’t be by the time Briana and Esme get here.”

An expression I can’t read passes over his features. Guilt, maybe? I know it’s not his fault the same way I know my cousins. They would’ve found another way to walk all over us. They always do.

“Any chance we can sic the big guy on them when they get here?”

I let out a laugh. “It’s been discussed.”

Krystal meets my gaze across the room and breaks away from my best friend. “So, what’s for dinner? Need any help in the kitchen?”

Oh crap.I have no idea what’s going on in the kitchen right now. Over Krystal’s shoulder, Marcela meets my eye and says, “I got it,” before going to check.

“Should I be concerned about what’ll end up on our plates?” Krystal teases. “You weren’t kidding about the cooking thing, huh?”

“It’s been a long day.” I shrug. “But it’s looking up.”

I hook an arm around Krystal’s shoulders, smiling too wide at all my favorite people assembled together in the same space.

“Don’t talk to me about long days until you start coming home at one a.m.,” Julian groans, flopping back onto the couch.

“Are you a bartender too?” Krystal asks, taking the seat next to him as I plop down beside her.

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