Page 21 of Take Me
“That you and Erika aren’t actually dating?Please.”
That wasn’t an answer, but I don’t really need one.From the time we were tiny, we’ve instinctively known each other’s innermost thoughts.I might not have trouble fibbing to Kaleb or Noah or Jake or Parker, but with Lucy?I don’t even bother.
Sighing, I get down two glasses and motion my sister to fill them.“How’d you know I’d be home?I normally work until closing on Tuesdays.”
She gives me abitch, pleaselook and pours the wine.“You got a new dog, so of course you’d take paternity leave.Dogternity leave?Whatever.Thanks again for taking Harper to the kombucha thing the other day.”
“My pleasure.”
“It’s weird, isn’t it?Having her be this whole-ass person who gets to decide who she hangs with or how she feels like spending her time?”
“I liked it better when we could just strap her in a bouncy swing and she’d giggle up at us like we hung the damn moon.”
Lucy tilts her head thoughtfully.“I don’t think I did.Maybe because she can wipe her own butt now?”
“There’s that.”
Grabbing both glasses, my twin makes her way to my living room.I follow behind her because what the hell else would I do?Scrumpy pushes ahead of me, trotting beside Lucy like he’d happily chew off his foot just to be with her.
“You and every other red-blooded male,” I mutter to my dog.“She’s taken.”
“What?”Lucy sits down on my sofa and gives me a quizzical look.“Are you talking to yourself or the dog?”
“Yes.”I flop down beside her as hard as I can, making the couch cushion bounce.
Lucy glares.“You’re such a child.”She hands me a wineglass, then turns so she faces me, tucking her legs up under her butt.“Bring me up to speed.Was Sunday at my house the first time you sprung the fake dating plan on Erika?”
Taking a fortifying sip of wine, I spill the whole story.I start with the moment the idea struck me, and end by glossing over the parking lot kiss.
“Whoa.”Lucy’s blue eyes are like saucers.“Annabelle saw?”
“Yep.”
“You and Erika actuallykissed?”
She sounds more surprised by that detail than the fact that I lied.“Yeah.Kinda surprised me.”
“Who kissed whom?”
“What do you mean?We both kissed each other.”
“I mean, who started it?”
“She did, I guess.”I think back on the kiss and feel myself starting to squirm.“I mean, I was willing.And I guess we’re even, since I’m the one who forced her to be my fake girlfriend.”
“She could have called you out.”Lucy sips her wine.“Erika’s a straight talker.If she didn’t want to go along with it, she could have pretended the whole thing was a joke.”
“I guess.”The joking is kinda our schtick.Back when her mom died, I watched all our peers fawning and fretting over our tiny blond classmate.Teachers kept staring at Erika with sympathy clouding their eyes.They’d whisper things like, “poor baby” when they thought no one could hear.
“Hey,” I said when I saw her on the playground at recess.“Wanna hear a joke?”
She seemed wary and guarded.“Okay.”
“What did one eye say to the other?”
“I dunno.”
“Just between us, something smells.”
