“I can’t hide anything from you, huh?” she sighs. “You know me too well to let me fool you. I’m just watching my weight, and mashed potatoes are full of butter. If I come to eat with you and I see them, I’ll cave. I was going to defrost a chicken breast and pop it in the oven while I shower.”
Talia and I look at each other.
“I’m confused. We use thousands of calories a day with the dance routines, the extra cardio, and the conditioning. You need to eat and you need carbs. Did Carole and Lexi say anything when they weighed us and took our measurements the other day?”
I know I’m right when shrugs, playing with the hem of her shorts to have something to do with her hands.
“No, they said I’m perfect.”
“Then what damage can a little bit of mashed potatoes do?” Talia encourages her.
Jodie sighs. “You met this version of me, Tal. A few months ago, I caught my long-term boyfriend in bed with another girl. I was devastated and I couldn’t eat without feeling nauseous for weeks. I ended up dropping a lot of weight and two dress sizes. Our contracts will have that clause about maintaining the weight they recorded when they measured us. I need to be careful. I can’t go back to the size I was when I was with Andy.”
I pull Jodie into a hug. “I get that, babes. But you have to admit that we’ve never trained like this. Even before adance competition, we’ve never spent ninety percent of our day dancing and working out. I don’t think a little mashed potato is going to make a difference.”
One thing Jodie and I have in common is that we’re both stubborn AF, so I don’t really expect her to change her mind.
“Thanks for your support, Tar-Tar.” She gives me a noisy kiss before releasing me. “But for tonight, I’ll stick to my plan. We’re going clubbing this weekend and I’m saving my extra calories to have a couple of margaritas.”
“Are we going clubbing?” It’s the first time I heard about it.
Talia chimes in. “Yeah, it’s Tucker’s birthday on Saturday. And we’re going to the grand opening of a new club right by the pier.”
“Oh. He didn’t say anything.” I can’t fight the disappointment that washes over me. Tucker has texted me a few times since our movie night date, but he didn’t invite me to go out for his birthday.
“That’s because it’s a surprise.” Talia explains. “Actually, I was going to ask you and Colsen for your help. Ask him to go to the arcade or something like that and then bring him to the club with an excuse. The owner is a friend of our parents, and we got VIP access. We’ll all be there ready to surprise him.”
The relief I feel knowing that Tucker didn’t ignore me is so huge that I would agree to burst out of a cake and sing happy birthday if Talia asked. “You can count on me. Did you already tell Colsen?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
TRUST ISSUES
NASH
“Hey Nash. Wait up.”
Genevieve runs after me the second I step out of the locker room. We had a scrimmage in preparation for the first game of the summer mini tournament in two weeks.
“Gen.” I keep my tone as neutral as possible. “What are you doing here?”
“I was waiting for you. I was hoping we could talk for a second.”
This feels very much like an ambush, and I’m not interested in anything Gen might have to say. I think there’s a better chance to cut this conversation short if I hear her out rather than wasting time arguing with her, though. She doesn’t strike me as the patient type.
“If you don’t mind, can we make this quick? I’m starving and I need to go to eat something.”
Her glossy lips tighten just for a second, as if she were trying to hide her chagrin at my less than welcoming tone.
“I won’t take much of your time.” She manages to smile. “I assume you know about tomorrow night’s surprise party for Tucker?”
“Yeah, Talia invited me. Are there any changes of plan?”
Gen lowers her gaze, batting her eyelashes for a second before returning her piercing blue eyes to me. “No, we’re still meeting in front of the club at ten. I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me.”
Not even if you were the last woman left on Earth after the zombie apocalypse.
The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I know better than to say them out loud.
