Page 29 of Don't Puck His Best Friend
I laugh because he has a point. “The team comes first. And one of those rules are we shouldn’t be banging each other’s siblings.”
Sirus chuckles nervously. “I owe you one.”
Around lunchtime, I’m throwing together a sandwich when I decide to call Liam. He picks up on the third ring, sounding suspiciously cheerful.
“So,” I say, “mystery girl.”
Liam’s grin is audible in his voice. “Turns out stalking my Instagram was the best decision she ever made.”
“That’s where you disappeared to last night? Didn’t think you were the repeat-performance type.”
“What can I say?” Liam laughs. “Trouble’s got skills.”
I pause with my sandwich halfway to my mouth. “Trouble?”
“Yeah, that’s her nickname. Fits her perfectly.”
There’s something in his tone—affection, maybe, or genuine interest—that I don’t usually hear when he talks about his hookups. It’s almost like he actually cares about this girl, which would be a first.
“So this is becoming a thing?” I ask.
“Maybe. Probably. We’ll see.”
“Tell me one thing––no bull shit.”
He barks a laugh.
“Is it Sirus’s sister?”
He laughs again. “Are you serious?”
“Just tell me the truth.”
“He’s worried I’m fucking his sister again? Couldn’t ask me himself?”
“Don’t turn this into a thing, Liam. He’s worried about his sister and I’m keeping bro code. If it’s a no then it’s simple.”
“It’s a big N-O, bro-code-keeper. It’s not her.”
“Am I ever gonna get a name?”
Liam laughs. “Yeah, her name’s Trouble.”
I shake my head.
“You’re not ruining this one for me,” he laughs. “When you meet her, you’ll meet her as my girlfriend.”
“Wow.” That’s the most commitment I’ve ever heard Liam express about anyone, which is either self-growth or a sign of the apocalypse. “This girl’s the one, huh?”
“I’m trying not to scare her off. Just taking it at her pace.”
Later in the afternoon, Sirus stops by to drop off a spare stick he borrowed last week. We’re standing in the entryway, Rex weaving between our legs looking for attention, when Sirus nods toward my phone on the counter.
“You should text Harper,” he says. “Maddie swears she’s into you.”
I’ve been thinking about texting her all day but haven’t been able to figure out what to say. The usual “hey, what’s up” feels too casual, but anything more elaborate feels like I’m trying too hard.
“Just keep it simple,” Sirus advises, reading my hesitation. “Ask her out. Worst case scenario, she says no, and you move on.”
