“I’m not asking that.” I rolled my eyes. “Tell me who you like.”
“What?” Alice sat back, her face growing pink.
“Do you like Aiden, Scott, or Chett?” I leaned on the countertop and stared at her. “Tell me which one of my brothers you like, and I will tell you what happened with Xander.”
“I don’t like any of them. What are you talking about?” Alice stuttered as she avoided my eyes.
I smiled to myself. Alice was such a poor liar, and she knew that I knew the truth.
I scooped some of the ground beans into the French press and then poured the boiling water inside the glass container and put the top on.
“Chett, Scott, or Aiden?” I asked softly as I turned back to face her. “Let me think … I doubt it’s Chett. You’re not into blondguys, and he’s the blondest guy I know. And you’re not into NASCAR, and he loves it. Let’s see … so it’s between Scott and Aiden. Hmm.” I stared at her as she glared at me, and I grinned. “Both are hot, though they’re my brothers, so I feel icky, saying that. Let me think … who do I think you’re after?”
“It’s Aiden, okay?” She blushed. “And I just think he’s cute. I’m not after him.”
“You like Aiden?” I made a face.
Aiden was the eldest of all of us, and he was my bossiest brother. Out of all of my brothers, he was the least fun and sometimes felt more like a second dad to me.
“You don’t seriously like Aiden, do you?”
“I knew you would say that. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
“It’s just … Aiden.” I made a face. “Imagine if you dated him and we had to go on a double date.” I shuddered. “It would be like double-dating with my dad; he’d be trying to tell me what to order and not to stay out late, and God forbid my guy kissed me or something.”
“Is the coffee ready?” Alice looked at the French press pointedly.
“Let me check.” I sighed and pressed it down before pouring the coffee into two mugs and turning back to her. “You’re not really interested in Aiden, are you?” I gave her a hopeful face. “Is this a bad joke?”
“How many bad jokes do you think are being played on you this weekend, Liv?” Alice laughed as she heaped sugar into her cup. “And, yes, I like Aiden. And, no, he’s nothing close to being your dad. He’s only twenty-eight, and he’s gorgeous, and funny, and sweet, and, well, yes, I have a small crush on him. I have for a long time, if I’m being honest.” Alice took a deep breath. “You’d better not tell him.”
“What am I going to tell him?” I rolled my eyes. “He’d just find a way to lecture me.”
“So, now it’s your turn.”
“My turn to do what?” I took a sip of my coffee and coughed. It tasted gross. I must have put too much coffee and not enough water in the French press.
“What happened with you and Tonguey?”
“Don’t call him Tonguey. That sounds gross.”
“What he did with it wasn’t gross though, was it?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I looked around the kitchen. “He’s not into me.”
“I’m sorry.” She gave me an apologetic look.
“He’s not the father, you know. He hasn’t even slept with Gabby. Yet he still wants to marry her.”
“Does he love her?” Alice looked shocked. “And wait, what? They’ve never had sex?”
“I know. I was shocked as well.” I tried another sip of coffee and then put the cup down. “Let’s go to my room and talk there. I don’t want anyone to hear us.”
“Okay.” She nodded and stood up.
We walked to my bedroom, and I noticed she had left her coffee sitting on the countertop as well.
I closed the bedroom door behind us and then jumped back into bed. “You coming?” I asked her and patted the space on the mattress next to me.
