Sarah turns her attention to Bo, straightening her back with false wounded pride. “Win hates presents. Because we have money, and she doesn’t, and that makes her uncomfortable. Even though I have told her many times that it’s my way of showing love, she continually tries to deny me. How doyoufeel about presents, Bo? And please answer carefully—thiswilldetermine whether I like you or not.”
“I love them,” Bo says abruptly, taking a few strides over to the counter, eyeing the gift cautiously. “Thank you.”
Sarah makes a proudhmphsound in the back of her throat.
“Judas,” I whisper, glaring at Bo.
“Are you really not going to open this present with me?” he asks, toying with the ribbon—mimicking pulling it off. A sudden, striking image of him toying with my panties thrashes around my brain, then leaves just as quickly as it came.
“I workedsohard on it,” Sarah adds in the same mocking voice.
These two are a dangerous and annoying combination.
“Fine,” I say, hopping off the barstool and moving to stand next to Bo.
I tug indelicately on the ribbon and gesture for Bo to do the rest once it’s off. He unwraps the cling-wrap, revealing the green woven basket underneath filled to the brim with items, some wrapped and others not, and one white card-sized box with writing on it sitting on top.
Twenty Questions to Fall in Love,I read.
I turn my gaze toward Sarah, who’s spilling over with mischievous glee.
Really?I ask her silently, my right eye twitching in her direction.
“I saw a video about this game online. The title is…evocative,but really, it’s just twenty questions to get to know someone well, quickly. I thought that may be helpful,” she says that word sharply toward me, “since you two have a lot of catching up to do in the getting-to-know-each-other-while-clotheddepartment.”
I fight the urge to mock her in a childlike whine and repeat her last few words out loud.
“That’s very thoughtful, thank you,” Bo says, as if he’s schooling me to do the same. I’m about to roll my eyes when he continues with, “we were just talking about having to get to know each other more on the way here. So this is great.”
“Yes,” I give in,only a little. “Thanks.”
Bo picks up the card box, flipping it over in his hand.
I nod, smiling politely, and reach for another gift to pull out.
“And to think,” Caleb whispers dramatically, circling the counter to stand next to me. “If you did one question every day, you could be in love in less than three weeks.”
I smack him over the head with thereallynice bath pillow Sarah picked out.
“Thank you,Sarah,for the gift,” I say pointedly, glaring at him.
“I also made sure to stock condoms in the guest bedroom in your honour. Extra-large ones too,” she says, winking at Bo.
He sputters a cough, which I finddeeplyrewarding.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble into the space between our shoulders, pulling my lips in to stop a grin.
“No you’re not,” he replies for my ears only, reaching into the basket alongside me as I pull out something soft and white.
“Aww,” Caleb coos at the onesie in my hand.
“That’ssmall,” Bo stares, blinking slowly.
“Babies tend to be,” I reply, rubbing the soft cotton against my cheek.
“Bo, how big were you when you were born?” Sarah asks, eyeing his tall frame.
“Oh, uh, I don’t know actually.” He shrugs, pulling out some chocolates that he points at enthusiastically. “Fuckinglovethese.”
