Page 92 of Built to Fall
Grant leans back in his chair, arms crossed, like he’s settling in for story time. “That’s not a no.”
I take a bite of the cupcake to buy myself a second. It’s sweet and fluffy. Definitely better than this conversation.
“She said she was never annoyed with me,” I say after swallowing, keeping my voice casual.
Grant gives me a questioning look. “Were you worried she was?”
“No. I didn’t expect her to say anything at all.”
He watches me, a slow smile curving his mouth like he knows more than he’s letting on. “Anything else?”
I lean in a little, keeping my voice low even though no one’s really paying attention to us. “That’s basically it. She told me that she’s never been jealous of me, she’s always been your friend, and—oh, yeah—that if anyone’s going to‘dismantle her’from your bed, she hopes it’s me.”
Grant freezes, a cupcake halfway to his mouth. He turns his head slowly to stare at me, mouth twitching like he’s fighting a full-blown laugh. “She saidwhat?”
“You heard me.”
“God, I love Savannah.” He’s grinning like he’s having the time of his life.
“She almost made me choke to death in public.”
“Sounds about right. She’s a menace.” He pauses, then adds with a smirk, “Also, for the record, I can’t say I disagree with her.”
I splutter, smacking his arm as he barks out a laugh.
“Shut up!”
He’s still smiling when he grabs the box from the counter and tugs me toward the door. “I’m just saying,” he adds as he holds it open for me. “You better start preparing yourself, Lina. You’re not getting out of this fake pregnancy without at leastonereal scandal.”
And although it feels like the type of foreshadowing Meredith would warn me of, I still shove him as I pass through the door, my cheeks aching with a smile.
* * *
When we make it to Abby’s house—a stately brick home set back from the road, with tall stained glass and lanterns on either side of a weathered front door—she seems shocked to see us together, but within seconds, her expression lights up and she pulls me into a tight hug.
“Is it true?” she asks, pulling back and holding me by the shoulders to look me up and down. “Are you pregnant?”
“What?”
“Abby!” Grant yells at the same time. “Jesus Christ. No. Lina’s not pregnant.”
Her face drops slightly. “Just me?”
“Just you,” he confirms. “And you shouldn’t be excited at the idea of a teen pregnancy.”
“You’re not a teen,” Abby is quick to point out, though it still doesn’t do much to help her case.
“We’re incollege,Abby. There’s a lot of time before you can be happy about the possibility of me having a baby.”
“We were just fucking with people’s heads after the rumors started swirling,” I add.
Grant peels the lid off the box and spins it around so she can see the pink and blue cupcakes. “These are actually for you, by the way. Not us.”
“Wait… seriously?” Her face softens instantly.
“Yeah.” I smile.
Abby’s eyes get a little misty, but she laughs it off and steps forward to hug me again. “You guys are too much. Seriously.”
