Page 33 of Moonstruck Kiss

“I just want to know when he’s coming.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Emory lets out a laugh.“Because I don’t care when he arrives. Why do you?”

“Who says I do?”

“Oh my God, Joey. Can’t you just own your feelings and lay it all out for me?”

Joey sighs audibly.“Fine. After hefullyand sincerely apologised yesterday, I’ve started to really like him a lot.”

I raise my arms in triumph, then start heading towards the door. I should announce my presence.

“And…” Emory prods.

“And…yeah, I’m ready to admit again that he’s hot. Like,sohot.”

I almost trip on my own feet.

“I knew it!”Emory claps.“He’s perfect for your fling experiment, Joey.”

Fling! Fling! Fling!The word chimes in my head like a ringing bell.

“Do it while he’s still here,” urges Emory. “He could be the answer.”

“Answer to what?”I ask as I reach the door.

Joey lets out a shriek.“What did you hear?”she demands.

Taking a second to consider my answer, I decide to go for the whole truth.“Well, first thing I heard was you asking Emory to warn you if I’m coming, so you could have time to make yourself pretty?—“

“That was just her assumption,”Joey says haughtily.

I try to stifle my grin.“And then she told you to own your feelings and you admitted you find mesohot.”

“Arrgh! Didn’t you see him coming?”she asks Emory.

“No.”Emory frowns at me.“Where did you come from? I was keeping an eye on the driveway.”

“Rode a bike and took the backway shortcut. I remembered it from last year.”

“You went through the fields?” Joey asks incredulously.

“Don’t worry. I managed to avoid cow dung.”

“Wearing old and slightly dirty shoes, too.” She nods in approval. “Very good, Slick.”

“Yeah, I learnt my lesson,” I say with a laugh.

“I see you’ve forgiven Joey for leading you through cow dung last year,” teases Emory.

“Hey!” Joey frowns at her friend. “I didn’t lead him to it. I just didn’t tell him it was there because he’d just ranted and raved at me. It wasn’t my fault he wasn’t looking where he was going.”

“Yup, I’m taking full responsibility for my actions.” I raise both arms in surrender for good measure.

Joey sends me a grin, and it all seems worth it.

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