Page 87 of Pinch
A knot twists in my throat. “He is?”
“Well, I mean, they’re into him, but he doesn’t seem interested in reciprocating, which is strange. He’s so handsome, and Mav is always so full of adrenaline after their games. I wonder why Gav never hooks up with anyone.”
I don’t like anything about this conversation. It’s making me itchy and my teeth grind.
“I wonder…” It comes out as a little growl.
“Oh, shut the front door, Haddy!” Gigi yells at me so unexpectedly, Spanky jumps and barks.
I put a hand on my chest. “What?”
“You know it’s because of you! Stop playing it off and confess. You two have been flirting since Halloween. He gave you his jersey to wear to the games, and then he flew all the way to Newhope for what? To see ourfamily restaurant?” She practically groans the words. “Give me a break. What do I look like? A dumb blonde?”
“I… We…” My mouth drops wider and wider the more she speaks. “Well, technically you’re a ginger.”
Gina shoves a hand on her hip. “Don’t even try to deny it. In fact, I’m pretty sure I heard bumping and muffled sounds coming from the shower a few weeks ago.”
Heat flames in my cheeks, but I can’t deny it. We were fucking in the shower. A word I don’t say out loud, but it’s kind of the best description of how it goes. Gav is excellent in bed… In laundry room… In bathroom…
Her lips twist into a knowing smirk. “Just clean up after yourselves.”
Spanky finally finds a suitable grassy place to do his business, and we stop. I take off my backpack and squat down to let Patsy out. She hops like a little brown bunny after her giant white doggy friend.
“We were going to tell y’all after Christmas, but…” My shoulders droop under the weight of my misery.
Gigi squats beside me, brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”
“I think I kind of blew it.”
“How in the world could you have done that? I’m telling you, Hads, that boy looks at you like you’re a rib eye steak and he’s on a diet.”
“He does not!” I push her shoulder, and she falls onto her butt with a little squeal.
“He does, too!” She hops up at once, shoving me onto my butt with a cackle.
Then she dives on top of me, and we roll to the side, which of course makes Spanky bound over and jump on us as well. Patsy hops around squeak-barking.
“Ow! Spanky,” I groan, doing my best to guard my midsection. “Seriously, Geeg, he is out of control.”
“No, he’s not!” She sits up, hugging her big white dog, bits of grass clinging to her strawberry blonde hair. “He’s a sweetie.”
Patsy hops around us excitedly, letting out her little squeaky barks. “Thisis a sweetie. He’s a menace.”
I pick up the little dog, poking out my lips like I’ll kiss her. She happily licks them in response.
“And you didn’t want to foster a dog.” Gigi shakes her head at me. Then she imitates my voice in a high-pitched range that sounds nothing like me. “Oh, Gigi! She’s going to barf on my bed!”
I’m not hearing it. “You know that dog barfed on my bed any time the door was open.”
“He had a nervous condition.” My cousin climbs to her feet, catching my hand and helping me up. “I hate to tell you, but we might have to return the princess soon.”
“No!” I wail, hugging the little pooch to my chest. “She’s so happy here.”
“I know, but that’s the meaning of the wordfoster. It’s temporary. Peepee’s mommy misses her.”
My heart hurts at the thought of Gav being mad at meandlosing my little companion. I don’t think I can take any more suffering on top of trying to keep a massive secret from my best-friend cousins.
“When?” My tone is pouty.
