“So, back to our conversation. Are you going to go?” Charlie asks Brooke.
She shrugs. “Yeah, I’ll go. It’s just been … kind of weird with us lately, and I can’t really figure out why. I think he was stressed about finals, but his classes were easy for him this semester, so I don’t know. Maybe he’s just not really into me. It almost feels like it’s an obligation for him to hang out with me.”
Call me intrigued. I’m dying to hear more, and it’s taking all of my self-control to keep my mouth shut and just listen.
“Well, I think you just need to talk to him honestly about how you’re feeling. I learned that lesson the hard way. Don’t let him play mind games with you. See how it goes tonight, but I definitely think you should have a conversation, B.”
“It’s just awkward, and I don’t want to sound like a whiny girlfriend, especially if I’m not really sure where I want this to go, you know?” I see Brooke look over at Charlie.
“Right. Well then, I guess you need to figure out how much you care, but don’t waste your time on something that doesn’t work. You deserve to be happy and have someone treat you like the badass goddess you are.” Charlie bumps her shoulder into Brooke’s.
“Thanks, Char. Don’t mention this to my brother. I don’t think he likes Eli that much after the wholeno, Sint Maarten is the superior islandconversation.” Brooke rolls her eyes.
Charlie winces. “Yeah, Beck was …”
“Ready to lay him out?” Brooke laughs.
“I mean, yes, pretty much. It was just the know-it-all attitude that pissed him off.” Charlie smiles.
Brooke sighs. “I know, and I wish I could say that was an isolated incident, but it wasn’t. I don’t know why he does that. He’s definitely smart, but I feel like he wants to shove it in people’s faces sometimes. It’s a huge turnoff and honestly embarrassing.”
“Then don’t go to the game with him tonight. Just hang out with meeeee.”
“No, I told him I would go, so we’ll see what happens.”
I clear my throat. “What game?”
“The basketball game. We play State, so Eli and a few of his friends want to go.”
I had no intention of going to the game tonight, but I have a feeling that’s about to change. “That’ll be fun. But don’t you need to study for finals?”
She shakes her head. “I took my last final today. My Thursday and Friday classes were papers, and I submitted those last week.”
Charlie’s phone rings before I can say anything more. “It’s Beck. I’ll be right back. Can you keep an eye on this tenderloin for me? I should only be a minute.”
“Yeah, right!” Brooke yells after her. “Tell him I said hey.”
I dump everything in a bowl, then move closer to Brooke because I want to be near her. “What flavor do we get tonight?”
She has an icing bag in her hand. “I just did vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting. Nothing fancy today.”
I lean into her. “Can I have a taste?”
Her hand jerks, and she messes up the design on her cupcake. “Um, yeah, they’ll be ready in a few.” She takes her finger and wipes it around the edge, where she messed up.
I take her hand with the glob of frosting on it and pull it to my lips. “May I?”
She doesn’t say anything, but her eyes are glued to my lips.
I swirl my tongue slowly around her finger, but don’t put it inside my mouth. “It’s delicious, just like it always is.” I wink at her and smile.
“Thanks,” she whispers.
“So, a basketball game. What time do you need to leave?” I try to settle back into a normal conversation with her, even though my thoughts are on spreading this frosting all over her and licking it clean.
“Oh, shoot,” she says, looking at the clock. “I need to go soon to get ready. I might not be able to eat.” She wipes off her finger and moves to the oven to check on the tenderloin. “It looks like it needs a little more time. I’ll wait for Char to come out, and then I should probably leave.”
I don’t want her to go, but I also need to make plans to get to that game too. “I’ll take care of this if you need to take off.”
