Casey:
Where are you??
I debate not responding. I’m exhausted from socializing with strangers, embarrassing myself in front of a cute girl, and I’m hurt by Nina’s little “my future wife is the best chef” comment she captioned her Instastory with. That’s what she used to say aboutme.My vision goes blurry as tears build in my eyes.
Nina loved my cooking. It was one of my favorite things to do for her. I’d prepare four course meals entirely from scratch, and now she’s boasting about avocado toast? It’s not even hard to make. I wipe the tears from my cheeks and set my phone down.
I don’t understand. What does Jamie have that I don’t?
My phone lights up with an incoming call from Casey. I sigh and put a little pep in my step as I answer. “Hey! Sorry. I came back to your place.”
“What?” There’s music booming in the background that grows fainter by the second. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Wait. No! I’m fine, Casey,” I rush to say. I know this is her home, but I want to be alone for a little bit longer. This pity party only has room for one. “Stay. Have fun.”
Casey snorts as someone calls her name. It’s probably Lily. I roll my eyes.
“Just stay,” I insist. “Have fun!”
“No, I—” Casey cuts off to say something to someone, but her voice is too muffled for me to understand.
My jaw clenches. “I’ll talk to you later. Bye!”
I hang up before Casey has a chance to respond and chuck my phone on the counter. I drop my face into my hands to stifle a loud groan. Of course, Casey should stay and hang out with Lily. Her stupidly gorgeous and touchy-feely friend with benefits other best friend. I hopethey have an amazing time. They’re both single, and Casey should be forgetting all about her douche bag ex-boyfriend, Marcus. Hell, it was only last night I suggested Casey text Lily to do just that.
And … wait. My mind replays Casey introducing Lily and me. She referred to both of us as her best friend. And I’m not in elementary school, I’m not possessive over our friendship. She is allowed to have as many best friends as she wants, and it doesn’t subtract from our friendship. But that’s not what I’m hung up on.
I’m so new to sex in general—only sleeping with the first person I ever felt true attraction for—and I’m especially new to casual sex, I didn’t think it was possible for friends to hook up and it not ruin the friendship. Sure, it works out in movies and books, but that’s only ’cause the two fall in love, and that’s definitely not going to happen with Casey and me. I’m nowhere near ready to move on from Nina, but Lily and Casey’s story didn’t end in romance either. They hook up all the time when they’re both single and in the same city. It doesn’t ruin their friendship. So why was I so convinced it would ruin ours?
Pondering this, I get dressed in my University of Michigan football T-shirt and an old pair of Casey’s running shorts. She left them at my place two years ago, and I’ve worn them so many times they’re mine now.
I flop down in the middle of the massive, comfy wrap-around sectional that’s adorned with soft blankets and throw pillows in multiple shades of blue. I wrap myself in a blanket cocoon when a door opens in the distance.
“Dakota?” Casey calls out, and I want to be annoyed she left the party after I insisted she should stay, but my heart does a little flip thatshe didn’t.
“In here.”
She bounds up the steps and rounds the corner, her gaze narrowed and concerned. “There you are.”
“Here I am.” Now wrapped in three different throw blankets. Casey plops down on the couch next to me.
“Did Emily upset you?” Casey asks, and I frown.
“Who?”
“Emily? The girl you spent all afternoon flirting with.”
Emily!That’s her name. Oh, my god, it doesn’t even start with a “M.” I can’t believe—wait a minute. Casey’s voice had a slight edge to it, almost unnoticeable, but it was there. Is shejealous?
“So, did she?” Casey’s expression is serious. “Because I’ll say something to her if she did.”
“No. No. She was perfectly nice.” I rub my temples, exasperated. “I blew things up by bringing up Nina and Jamie in this super awkward way.”
Casey’s hard gaze turns sympathetic. “Oh, I’m sorry, Dakota.”
