Page 111 of Moonshine Kiss
“Bowie,” she hissed warningly, glancing around us at the sweaty, hungover crowd.
“Cass, we’ve had nine million conversations over the years. It’s only weird now if we make it weird.”
She took her time retying her ponytail. “I’m mad at myself. My job is the one on the line. I should be taking better precautions. Hell, I shouldn’t even be mixing it up with you.”
I didn’t like that. “Don’t you think we’ve let enough people come between us?”
She hit me in the chest and then glanced around making sure no one was paying attention. “You’re only saying it because it’s not you and my dad causing the problem this time around!”
I rubbed absently at the spot she’d slapped. She may have had the slimmest of points.
The woman had reluctantly cut me eight years of slack. I had a responsibility to be patient.
“Let’s talk later,” she suggested, eyes flicking to a pretty brunette nearby that I’d never seen before. She, unlike most of the rest of us, was perky and eager to follow Jonah’s pained instructions.
“Later,” I agreed.
* * *
“Well, that was horrible.”Gibson was guzzling water while I bent in half and sucked wind.
“I took it easy on everyone,” Jonah said, opening his bottle and chugging something green and lumpy.
“That’s not your magic hangover cure, is it?” I asked, eyeing it with suspicion.
“Nope, rebalancing shake,” he wheezed.
“Looks like most of the town could use some rebalancing,” Cassidy said, joining us.
There were bodies everywhere. Some curled in the fetal position. Some flat on their backs staring up at the gym ceiling.
“Anyone want breakfast?” Devlin asked. He was sweaty, but in a healthy, used to it kind of way. Scarlett was sprawled at his feet muttering about oxygen and the lack of it.
“I could do breakfast,” I said. No school until next Wednesday. I was looking forward to the break.
Gibson grunted his assent.
“Can’t. I have work,” Cassidy said, mopping at her brow with the hem of her t-shirt. I was momentarily transfixed by the flash of her stomach, the peek of pink from her sports bra.
Down, boy.I was used to hiding my feelings for her. But now that I’d finally had a taste of her, I felt like my facade was crumbling.
“Don’t you know the boss man or something?” Scarlett teased from the floor, tugging on Cassidy’s shoelaces. “Can’t you ask him for an extra hour so you can fuel up for your day of crime-fightin’?”
“I don’t get special treatment because of who my father is,” Cassidy said, her jaw tight. “Y’all have a nice day.”
Scarlett clawed her way up Devlin’s leg until he leaned down to pick her up. “Geez. What crawled into her knickers?” she demanded.
“My guess is Bowie,” Gibson said.
Shit.
Jonah looked up at one of the lights hanging from the ceiling like it was absolutely fascinating.
I stared at the floor and scratched the back of my head. I couldn’t remember how I’d brushed off comments about Cassidy before. How had I played it off like there was nothing there? Like my feelings weren’t real? Right now I was standing here looking guilty.
“See?” Gibs said smugly. “Told you.”
Scarlett was working her way into an excited lather. “Oh. My. God.”
