Page 54 of The Goat in the Bedroom
Sara Jayne's head whipped around. “Excuse me, what now?”
“It's hypothetical,” I protested.
“Girl,” Sara Jayne scooted closer, “spill everything.”
So I told them, hypothetically, about the bathtub incident. Sara Jayne's eyebrows climbed higher with every detail. At some point AbuelaNovela began listening in as well while consuming a hot dog almost as big as she was.
“And these trust exercises you mentioned earlier?” she asked when I finished.
“They're just... we're helping each other with dating confidence. Eye contact. Hand holding. Basic stuff.”
“Basic stuff.” Sara Jayne's smile was knowing. “Honey, what you're describing? That's foreplay.”
“No, no, it's completely platonic. We have boundaries. Rules. It's basically therapeutic. Like physical therapy but for dating. Very clinical. Nothing romantic at all.”
“Tontos enamorados. No es mi tropo favorito,” AbuelaNovela muttered.
Tempest glared at her grandmother, “She said it definitely sounds more than friendly.”
“We. Are. Just. Friends,” I said slowly, like the speed might make it truthier.
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks,” Tempest said, glancing at me sideways.
“Don't quote Hamlet at me.”
“It's actually from?—“
“I don't care. The point is, you're all reading too much into a completely normal biological response to unexpected stimuli.”
Sara Jayne snorted. “Unexpected stimuli. Is that what we're calling your?—“
I slapped my hand over her mouth.
I didn't have time to try and convince anyone, not that I could because Sloane appeared with her camera crew, lookingpolished and ready for game day action in a Bandits jersey that was definitely tailored.
Great.
“Artemis. So good to see you.” Her smile was very white. “That double date disaster is going to make for some great TV. Did you hear Rob and Puck are actually engaged now? They're getting married in Vegas next month after a couples skydiving trip.”
“That's... fast.”
“When you know, you know.” She studied me with calculating eyes. “So what did you and Gryff do after your dates left together?”
“We went to Flynn and Tempest's. Had margaritas. Normal friend activities.”
“Interesting that you both picked such wrong people for each other.” She tilted her head. “Almost like you were sabotaging each other's love lives.”
“We're just bad at matchmaking.” I waved her off and laughed too loud. “Very normal friend incompetence.”
“Some might say that suggests hidden feelings.” I suddenly noticed the camera pointed right at me along with everyone's eyes. “Not wanting the other to date anyone else?”
“Some would be wrong. We're friends. Furr-endzz. Amigos,” I said smiling at AbuelaNovela, who rolled her eyes.
She made a note on her tablet. “Right. Friends who live together and set each other up on terrible dates.” She made another note, and something about her expression made my skin crawl. Thankfully, the teams ran onto the field before she could probe further.
The game was incredible. I'd watched Gryff play football since high school, knew all his moves, his rhythms, the way he commanded his position. But this was different. This wasprofessional football, faster and harder than college, and he was magnificent.
He made a massive block in the second quarter that sprang a touchdown. The stadium erupted, but before celebrating with his teammates, his head turned toward our section. Found me in the crowd. Grinned right at me.
