Page 26 of The Late Hit
“Jesus, Chloe, you got margarita snot all over the table.”
Sputtering, she grabs a napkin to clean up her mess. “You literally just shocked the hell out of me.”
Macy chimes in. “Are you serious? Because if you’re serious, I’m going to force you to text him right now.”
“Ohmygosh, you guys are ridiculous.”
Turning my attention to the TV, I can’t help but appreciate a young Chad Michael Murray beforeOne Tree Hill. Wasn’t he everyone’s dream guy growing up? Feeling eyes on me, I glance back at my friends who are still looking at me like I have two heads.
“What? Is there something on my face?” I ask, knowing damn well that’s not why they are staring at me.
“Get your phone out, and text him right now,” Macy demands.
Who does this bitch think she is?
Laughing, I turn my attention back to the TV again.
“Brinley Carolyn Wilder, do not ignore me.”
Looking at my shocked bestie, I play dumb. “What Macy Marie?”
Pointing to my lap where my phone is, she barks, no, more like demands, “Get your phone out, text Cody right now, or I’m calling bullshit on you taking him up on a date.”
Realizing that I’m not going to win this battle, I reach in my lap, grabbing my cell. Before I text Cody, I look Macy in the eyes.
“I thought you said no texting boys?”
Chloe stares at me. There’s a look on her face that I can’t quite decipher. It almost looks like she’s upset at the prospect of me going on a date with Cody. And honestly, there’s no way I’m going to go on a date with him. He’s one of my best friends, and that’s where things are going to stay.
I need new friends.
Scrolling through my messages app, I find Cody’s name.
Leaving the text vague, I hit send. Not even thirty seconds later my phone chimes.
I grin and shake my head. Always a flirt.
Hitting send, I wait. And wait. And wait. The bubbles appear, notifying me that Cody is responding. Then they disappear. Appear again. Then disappear.
Ping, my phone chimes.
Turning the phone around, I show the girls my conversation with Cody.
“Happy?” I ask.
Macy grabs the phone from my hand, but Chloe just takes a sip of her margarita, avoiding the phone. My eyes narrow at her.
Note to self, circle back and figure out what’s up with Chloe.
“You brat,” Macy squeals, tossing my phone back.
I throw my head back and laugh. “I’m not going on a date with Cody!”
I watch as Chloe’s shoulders relax. I toss her my phone, so she can read it.
Sitting around laughing with my two best friends is just what the doctor ordered. The evening is spent reminiscing on our friendship. We laugh at the story of when Macy got locked out of her dorm room and had to go floor-to-floor in a tiny towel, trying to find an RA to unlock her room.
Chloe reminds us of when we became friends with the football guys and how they calleddibson us when we met Cody. As if they could call dibs on us. The boys just had to learn to share and, thus, a beautiful friendship developed between the football and baseball teams.
