Page 88 of The Weight Of Falling
Joel scowls. “Now’s not the time for teasing, sweetheart. You know that’s not my favorite color.”
I pat his hand. “It’s okay. You’re among friends.” My gaze sweeps the living room. “Isn’t that right?”
There’s a chorus of nods.
Joel’s jaw tightens. “Kenzie’s right,” he says at last. “My secret’s out. I like...salmon.”
“Pink,” I correct sweetly.
His eyes narrow. I hold his gaze, not yielding an inch.
“Pink,” he grinds out, like it’s causing him actual physical pain to say the word.
“In fact,” I say, digging in my handbag, “Joel loves wearing my scrunchie on his wrist. He only took it off before we walked in so you wouldn’t tease him.”
I pull out a neon-pink scrunchie and lay it in my palm, holding it out to him like an offering.
Joel’s eyes shoot to mine, promising retribution. I don’t flinch. The scrunchie remains suspended between us like a dare. Slowly, he picks it up, holding it pinched between two fingers like it’s diseased.
Smiling, I tap his wrist.
Swallowing, he slips it on.
I beam. “There you go. Don’t you feel calmer already? Like you’re one with your soul?”
“I’m feeling so many things it’s hard to pick just one.”
“All right,” Sofia announces, drawing a big fat zero under our team name. “Joel and Kenzie don’t get a point for that question.”
We lost that round, but it was so worth it.
Aaron and Gideon are staring at the bright pink scrunchie on Joel’s wrist with appalled expressions.
“You guys don’t have a problem with pink, do you?” Tess asks, her gaze brimming with mischief.
Both men freeze, ambushed by the question and scrambling for an answer that isn’t there.
“Whatever makes you happy,” Gideon says finally. “Even if it’s a pink hair thingie.”
Aaron simply leans back in his chair and folds his arms. Everyone is aware of his aversion to color, despite Tess’s best attempts to win him over.
“Actually, one of my favorite things is pink,” Gideon declares in solidarity with Joel.
Kate’s eyebrows flick up. “Really? What’s that?”
Pure panic flies across Gideon’s face. “Uh, it’s, um, my favorite gum is pink.”
“Gum?” Kate asks skeptically.
“Yep,” Gideon replies, looking proud of himself.
“How do you feel about pink?” Tess presses Aaron.
He turns his head slowly to direct a coolly assessing stare her way. “It looks great on you,” he says.
Sofia grins, looking highly entertained by all this. “What hobbies does your partner enjoy?” she asks next. “Or what activity have they always wanted to try?”
Aaron and Gideon breeze through their answers.
