Page 80 of More Than Pen Pals

It’s hard to keep a secret in this family.

“So what if I am? What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal,” Sonya says, “is as far as we know,” she points back and forth between our sister and herself, “you haven’t gone on a date since you moved back here. That’s beentwo years.”

“You haven’t kissed anyone in at least two years,” Tonya chimes in. “That’s wild. I can’t imagine.”

I will my face not to turn red. I hope they can’t hear my heart pounding as I try not to relive my kisses with Leslie in my mind for the hundredth time since this afternoon. I’m also glad they don’t know it had been well over two years since I kissed anyone else.

I stick my finger in Tonya’s face. “First off, you,” I move my finger to Sonya, “and you aren’t allowed to kiss anyone until you’re at least thirty. Plus, I don’t know if you realize this, but you don’t have to be dating someone in order to kiss them.”

“Ooooo!” Sonya puts her hands on my cheeks and turns my head to face her. “Who have you been kissing, Ashley Bashley? Did you kiss Melissa on Saturday?”

“No.” At least that’s not a lie.

“You’re lying.” She presses her fingers into my cheeks until I’m making fish lips. “I can see it in your beady little eyes.”

I remove her hands from my face. “I’m not lying. And I don’t have beady little eyes.”

“Beady giant eyes, then.”

“Whatever. What were you saying about a movie?” I’ll do almost anything to put an end to this conversation.

“Yesss. I knew we’d get you!” Tonya jumps up and slides the videotape into the VCR. “Ash, go stick a bag of popcorn in the microwave. And fix us some drinks.”

I roll my eyes as I stand. “Yes, ma’am.”

thirty-nine

“You haven’t thought about anything but that kiss since it happened, have you?” Aunt Star asks.

“No.” My face burns at the admission.

“What are you going to do when you get off the phone with me?”

“Think about it some more.”

She chuckles. “I appreciate the honesty, but why don’t you call the new friend you keep talking about and see if she can come over or go out or something? Don’t sit at home thinking about Ash.”

“But I want to sit at home thinking about Ash.”

“I know, but you’ll probably drive yourself crazy if you do. Call your friend when you get off the phone with me. I doubt you have any food in your apartment, anyway.”

She knows me well. “Fine. I’ll call Wendy.”

“Good. Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you I’m thinking about going to a Realtor conference in Chicago in mid-June.”

“How did you forget to tell me that?”

“Well, I’ve only been considering it for about a week, and you may have dominated the conversation the last few times we’ve spoken.”

“Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. You’ve had a lot to deal with. Anyway, the conference is from Thursday morning through Friday afternoon, and then I’d stay for the weekend to spend time with the best PR rep east of the Mississippi.”

“But not west?” I tease.

“That’s up for debate. Also, Beckett is thinking about tagging along, if that’s okay with you?”

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