Page 45 of Don't Puck His Best Friend
I stare at the message, thumb hovering over the keyboard. The smart thing to do is not respond. The smart thing is to let this fade away naturally, to focus on Cole and whatever potential we might have together.
But my pulse still kicks up just seeing Liam’s name, and I hate that my body doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo about making smart choices.
I set my phone face-down without responding and take a long sip of coffee that burns slightly on the way down.
“Harper!” Maddie calls from her bed. “Come keep me company. I’m dying and need to remember I’m alive.”
I walk over to join her, noting the empty water bottle, the ibuprofen on the coffee table, and the way she’s squinting at the TV like the volume is personally offensive.
“So,” she says without looking away from whatever cooking show she’s barely watching, “me and Sirus…”
I shoot a glare at her. “Continue that sentence.”
“We…” She squints like a dog in trouble.
“You?”
She closes her eyes and blurts, “We touched each other!”
“Ew!” I put down my mug and fake vomit. Then I grab the pillow. “Ew! Ew! Ew!”
She starts laughing her head off and she squints again. “Ow, my brain.”
“You big baby. If you remember––” I make a face, “––touching each other, then you weren’t that drunk!”
She covers her mouth and blushes. “I really like him.”
I lean back and hug the pillow in front of me. “God, I hope so if you’re letting him touch you!”
She glares at me. “I never give you this much shit. Please stop!”
I throw my head back and laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You are so fun to poke at.” Her face is bright red, and I’m loving it.
“One of these days, I’ll be able to tell you when I hit first base.”
She smiles. “You and Cole?”
I nod.
“So, you’re going to see him again?”
I curl up in the corner, snuggling against her. “You always dreamed we would date best friends.”
“I always fantasized about brothers, but I guess that would be gross if we both got married and had kids.” She takes a moment to think. “I didn’t think that one through.”
“Yeah, no. Maybe if we were just best friends, but being blood related and let’s face it, Maddie, we are sisters.”
She grabs me, leaning on my shoulder. “You are my sissy.”
I rest my cheek on her head. “Twins five-ever,” I say in a sassy voice just like we would when we were young.
She squeezes me and says, “I’m so happy we have each other.”
“I count my lucky stars everyday your mom went out and got pregnant right away with a random.”
That gets me a pinch.
“Ow!”
