Page 49 of Baby, It's You
Hunter deadpans. “I ate too many hotdogs at his ninth birthday and threw up all over the place.”
“And how many hot dogs was that?”
“Six,” Eddie, Wes, and Hunter all say in unison.
“Hmmm, so five is the perfect number of hotdogs, then.” I playfully tap my index finger to my mouth. “Good to know.”
“Mind you, I was nine years old. I could eat way more now,” Hunter points out.
“Did you know every hot dog you eat takes thirty-six minutes off your life?” Eddie adds.
Wes groans. “Don’t mind him. Eddie is our professional party pooper. Mr. Intellectual Health Nut,” he says in an uppity British accent.
“Okay, I’m not even British? Also, sorry for caring about what I fuel my body with. My body is a temple.”
A beautiful tall girl with braids walks up behind Eddie, smacking his back. “‘My body is a temple,’” she mocks while making air quotes. Then she walks past Eddie and gives Hunter a hug.
“Hey! I haven’t seen you in forever.” She squeezes him tight and then grabs onto his shoulders as she pulls away.
“Hey, Leena! Yeah, it’s been ages.” He smiles kindly at her. “This is Olive.” He turns, motioning to me.
Her face lights up as she looks at me. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, Hunter! And she'sgorgeous.” She walks towards me. “Is it okay if I hug you? I’m a hugger.”
She pulls me into her arms before I can even tell herit’s fineas I hear Hunter say, “She’s not my girlfriend, just a good friend.”
For some reason, it sounds like there is disappointment in his voice as he says it.
“Oh, of course I put my foot in my mouth the second I meet someone new. I’m sorry for assuming!” she says to me, apology in her eyes. “Hunter just never brings girls around to hang out with the group, so I was overexcited.” She laughs. “We need more females! Anyway, I’m Leena, Eddie's twin sister.”
“It’s totally fine!” I smile at her. “And it’s great to meet you, Leena.”
“Follow me, I’ll introduce you to everyone!” she chirps as she leads me towards a group that’s gathered on a grassy area near the water. Her bouncy, vibrant energy reminds me so much of Ivy.
When we get over to the group of people, Leena introduces me and then begins naming everyone off quickly. “This is my roommate, Alice.” A pale girl with green hair leans forward from her chair and shakes my hand.
“My boyfriend, Parker.”
A short, red-haired guy stands. “It’s nice to meet you, Olive.”
I love that Leena is taller than her boyfriend; there’s something so attractive about a man that isn’t intimidated by a taller woman.
“Parker’s younger sister, Ysabel.”
A small girl with matching red hair smiles up from her towel and waves. “Ezra.” She points to a large guy with shaggy brown hair, currently holding the football, running away from another guy with long dark hair. “Donovan,” she says, pointing to the long-haired guy. “Skater friends of the guys.”
Leena yells out to them while standing next to me, startling me. “Come meet Olive!”
The guys stop their game and run over. As they jog towards us, it might as well be slow motion. Their bodies are shimmering with sweat in the light. I feel like I’m watching something intimate and seductive. Both men are heavily tattooed and jacked. I snap out of my trance when I realize one of them just said something to me—the Ezra guy.
“I love your shades,” he repeats, pointing towards my head, where they are currently resting in my hair. I reach up and touch them.
“Oh, thanks! One of my regulars at work gave them to me last year for my birthday.”
“Very cool.” He nods. “I’m Ezra.” He reaches out his arm and the tattoo of an eagle on his pec moves as he does. Did it just get ten degrees hotter outside? I shake it and then the other guy holds out his hand with a serious expression.
“Donovan,” his deep voice murmurs. Who knew they made them like this at the skate park? I’ve got to let Ivy know.
I hear someone clear their throat from behind me and turn to see Hunter standing nearby.
