“You talk too much.” Daisy smacks her over the arm. “What Piper means to say is, we want to know the two of you—not just as Owen’s and Jet’s little sisters, but as”—she leans in with a crooked grin—“what are your names again?”
Lucky and I groan in unison.
“For crying out loud.” I roll my head back just as Grant walks by the window, and I break out into a silly grin as if it were a kneejerk response.
Grant doesn’t hesitate popping on in, and I shrink in my seat, my face burning with the hellfire of ten thousand angry suns. So much for anonymity. He spots Daisy and Piper, and most likely the look of horror plastered to my face, and gives a platonic nod.
“Just heading to practice.” He purchases a bottle of water before heading back out.
Thank God for small mercies. The way the two of us have been locking lips all week, I half-expected him to walk right over and plant one on me. Crap. That would have beenhuge, bigger than huge. It would have been a huge debacle. There’s no way Piper wouldn’t rat me out to Owen. Hearing about a boy is one thing, but watching me suck face is an entirely different delicious animal.
“Was that him?” Piper says it so fast it comes out all one word. Her radar is up, and Grant sounded the alarm.
“We’re just friends.” I shrug to Lucky. So help me God, if she outs me, I’ll make up a dozen sordid stories about her nightly non-existent walk of shame. “He doesn’t even know I exist.” I roll my eyes in an exaggerating manner that would make any fourteen-year-old proud.
“Still?” Daisy groans as if I just spit into her coffee.
“What do you meanstill?” Piper elbows her in the ribs for an answer before turning the limelight right back in my direction. “How can anyone not notice you? The both of you.” She includes Lucky in her kiss-up routine. “That boy must be blind and dumb. Never mind him. There is at least a dozen just like him andbetter.”
“Doubtful,” I whisper without meaning to.
Piper’s eyes zip to mine, and for a brief moment, we have an honest exchange. Swear to God, it feels as if my face just morphed into a TV screen, and she’s just bore witness to each and every one of those steamy kisses Grant and I have shared.
“So your birthday gift…” Piper smacks her lips as if she’s livid with me on some level. “Owen wants you to start narrowing down your choices. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited.”
“What’s the gift?” Lucky looks concerned for me, like the good friend she is.
“A c-c-car—a used car.” Just the thought of Owen demanding to pay for half sets every last nerve in my body on edge. He’s already doing way too much for me. I know he loves me, but I hate that I’m stretching his finances to capacity.
“A set ofwheels?” Daisy belts it out like it’s her favorite country song and slaps me five. “Girl, once you get some traction going, there will be no stopping you! I don’t know if you girls realize this, but there’s actually life outside of Hollow Brook.”
Piper knocks her in the ribs again, this time strong enough to spill a little coffee. “Daisy is referring to shopping—not boys.”
“And definitely not strip clubs.” Daisy wags her bubblegum pink nails. “But if you ever want to have some real fun, just hop across the street. I still think the Black Bear is the best thing going.”
Piper leans in as curiosity fills in her brows. “How come we hardly ever see the two of you there? Don’t tell me you’re doing time in the caf? The Black Bear has the best grilled cheese, and don’t get me started on the pizza. I swear, we won’t crawl all over your backs. Honest to God, all we want is for the two of you to get the most out of your freshman year.”
The sorority runs through my mind in a dizzying blur. I know we have a few events lined up that actually do require us to show up at that drunken hovel across the street. Sure, the food is great, but who wants to cavort at their big brother’s favorite bar? Strike one. Count Lucky and me out. Not to mention, Grant hardly ever goes there. Strikes two and three.
Lucky nods over at me as if she’s got this. “We’ll try to pop over more often. It’s just, you know, all this studying is making us insane. We’re not in high school anymore. This is some serious shit. I’ve got a paper due every two weeks up until I’m thirty.”
The two of them offer commiserating laughs.
“But we’ll honestly try.” Lucky is smearing it on nice and thick. “Most of our weekends we’re just sequestered in that tiny dorm, trying to figure out how many hours have passed since we last lifted our heads from our laptops.”
A little too thick perhaps.
I shake my head at her. Lucky should know better than to pile bullshit that high—take it to their noses, and they’re bound to smell it. Heck, at this point, she’s spoon-feeding it to them.
“Oh, really.” Daisy isn’t buying one ounce from Lucky’s dung heap. I could have told her that. Daisy is smart, and funny, and usually a good time to hang out with. I’d like to blame this sudden shift toward the dismal and banal on Piper, but I know Lucky, and I somehow brought it to the party. “So, all this studying, huh?” Her pink lips stretch into a sarcastic smile.
Piper grunts. She’s a little more in your face than Daisy. “Don’t forget the papers they’ll have to write until they’re thirty.” Her eyes narrow in on mine. “Wow, you girls really do have it rough. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met a freshman as dedicated to the art of learning as the two of you.”
“You better believe it.” I slap my hand over Lucky’s, and just as I’m about to pull her out of her seat, Piper smacks her hand over mine.
“The 12 Deadly Sins play Saturday night at the Black Bear. Meet Owen and me for dinner at seven. Let’s narrow this car thing down, okay? Besides, your brother actually misses you.”
“Seven,” I say, rising out of my seat. “I wouldn’t miss it.” I offer Daisy a quick wave.
