“Well, color me stunned,” Gina breathed, stealing the words Nettie herself had been about to say. “The end of the world must be upon us.”
“No kidding,” Nettie muttered before she could stop herself.
Both women turned sharp looks on her.
“What?” Nettie asked innocently. “I’m agreeing with you.”
“Spill it. What happened?” Gina pressed.
“Nothing.”
“Um, that comment does not allude to nothing happening,” Gina pointed out.
“No—it doesn’t,” Shannon chimed in, leaning forward. ”Details are needed. Please elaborate…”
“It’s nothing,” Nettie insisted quickly, shifting the spotlight. “Why would you say the end of the world is upon us?”
Gina’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Because Tate got a cat.”
“To eat?” Shannon gasped, horrified. Her perfectly manicured red fingernails nearly faded into her bright red lipstick as she covered her mouth in shock, before lowering them and speaking again. “I thought Neanderthals hunted bear, elk, and other forest animals… that poor kitty.”
“He’s not gonna eat it,” Gina groaned. “He found it and took it in.”
“Awww,” Nettie and Shannon chorused before freezing, staring at each other, then pointing at the other in accusation.
“That was anawwwfor the cat,” Nettie volunteered as Shannon spoke at the same time, over her, tossing her own excuse for the ‘Aw’ moment. “Not Tate…”
“You can ‘aww’ for my brother,” Gina countered. “He could use someone ‘aww-ing’ after him. Might even get rid of his foul mood for once.”
“Or an exorcism,” Nettie muttered without thinking.
Shannon burst out laughing so hard she nearly spat her drink across the table. Gina, however, went perfectly still, fixing Nettie with a sharp, assessing stare.
“He contacted you,” Gina said slowly. “And you didn’t tell me.”
Nettie’s stomach dropped, wishing the floor would give way beneath her any second now. She hadn’t told anyone because it was nothing, and telling Tate’s sister seemed like such a bad idea all-together. The last thing she wanted was her best friend to go and discuss with her brother about how Nettie was talking about him at dinner.
No. Thank. You.
“It was nothing…”
“You talking with Tate is not… nothing,” Shannon said slowly, emphasizing the words. “You had a crush on him and…”
“I did – and it’s over with,” Nettie interrupted quickly, evenly, flatly, trying to eliminate the conversation. End it brutally… like a guillotine on her personal relationships or lack thereof. “You know why they are called ‘crushes’ – you getcrushed, painfully.”
“What happened?” Gina said sternly. “And I want details. You are not getting out of this, or I’m going straight to my brother.”
Oh mercy – that was exactly what she didn’t want to happen.
“Look, it was nothing,” Nettie stammered, panicking. “I was shopping for yarn, and he was there. He left. I left. It was nothing. I swear.”
“Was he mean to you?” Gina asked protectively, making her feel a little better.
“No,” Nettie replied softly. “He was… He was himself but nicer and…”
“There’s more?”
“It’s nothing.”
