“Me too,” Salem said.
“Should we call Wyn?” Hadley asked. “If this is a big announcement, we shouldn’t leave her out. She’s already going to feel left out with the three of us here and her in New York.”
“Wyn already knows.”
Salem’s face slackened. “Oh my God, you lost your virginity!”
I winced at the volume, my gaze bouncing between her and Hadley who was waiting with eager expectation.
“Yes,” I said finally. “I lost my virginity.”
I tried forcing myself not to blush and wondered if I’d accomplished it. I squared my shoulders. “I slept with Brooks last night and got my period this morning. Ergo, sheet ruination and the Fluff n’ Fold. I didn’t want to do laundry at the Ridge because Muddy is Muddy, and you warned me I can’t keep anything a secret around her. I told Wyn this morning when Brooks was out getting me feminine hygiene products. That was something I could’ve waited a few more months for, by the way.”
They were silent, their gazes jumping to each other and then back to me.
I frowned. “I thought there would be a lot more squealing or excitement or something.”
“You slept with Brooks,” Hadley said softly. “Wow.”
“Yeah. Big wow.” Salem nodded. She pointed to the thermos I was holding between my legs. “What’s that?”
“Raspberry leaf tea. For my cramps.”
“He knows about raspberry leaf tea?” Salem asked in surprise. “What sort of sorcery is this?”
“No sorcery,” I said. “Lucy gave it to him, along with a steak, when he bought the products. Did you know she had steak in her store? I didn’t.”
“Meat freezer in the back,” Hadley murmured.
They exchanged another look.
“Okay, twins,” I groused. “Translate that for me.”
“I’m surprised,” Hadley said. “That Brooks is the one.”
“The one what?”
“The one,” Hadley reiterated.
“Why are you surprised?” I asked. “Because he’s older?”
“No, not because of that,” Hadley said.
“Because he’s an ex-con?” I asked bluntly.
She winced and looked to her twin for aid.
Salem jumped in. “He’s just not who I would’ve guessed would’ve been the one to get through your defenses.”
“He didn’tget throughanything,” I snapped.
“Uh, he kinda got through your hymen,” Salem said with a cheeky grin.
That was the kind of reaction I’d been hoping for. Teasing and joking about my loss of maidenhood.
“You have to understand,” Hadley began. “Brooks has barely spoken to either of us the entire time he’s worked here. But seeing how he was with you just now . . . it’s thrown me, is all.”
“I’m kind of shocked it happened because I thought you guys were just hanging out,” Salem said. “I still don’t even know how you two met.”
