I hug her back. “Hey, how’s it going?”
“Busy,” she says with a sigh.
“I hear that.”
“Hey, Steph, how’s your day?”
Her eyes are wide. “So, what’s the deal?”
“With what?”
“Withhim?” she asks.
“Who?” I realize that Slater’s disappeared.
Stephanie rolls her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. What’s the deal with the soccer guy? Are you guys dating now?”
“No.” I pause. “Why would you say that?”
She gives me a look. “Well, for one, he sent food up to your room this morning. Second, you both walked in here together. So...” Her eyes are bright. I look between the two of them.
“We’re just...”
“Friends,” Stephanie and Ashley both say at the same time.
“I’ve heard that before,” Stephanie says with a shake of her head.
“Wait,” Ashley says, leaning forward. “Here’s the real test. Has he kissed you yet?”
I feel my face heat to a thousand degrees. They both laugh. “You don’t even have to bother answering that,” Stephanie says with a laugh.
“She just did,” Ashley adds.
“I hate you both.”
They continue laughing and then sober up. “Oh, he’s coming. Go,” Ashley swats at Stephanie. “See you,” Ashley calls out over her shoulder.
“Bye,” Stephanie calls out as they walk away.
“Did I scare them off?” Slater asks as he sets a tray on the table.
“Pretty much,” I tell him.
“Good.” There’s not an ounce of remorse in his voice.
“Slater.” I shake my head at him.
“What? I want time with you without other people around. You’re hard to get alone.” My cheeks heat at his words. “I wasn’t sure what you were hungry for, so I went ahead and got a few things.” I look down at the tray and laugh.
“I don’t know how you guys put so much food away.”
“You like Chinese?” he asks. “I know Evie loves this stuff.”
“I do. I don’t think I love it quite as much as Evie does, but I don’t think anybody in the world does.”
“Eat whatever you want; I’ll eat whatever you don’t.”
I grab a box of orange chicken and take a bite. “Mmm. That's so good. Thank you. Do you have any food allergies or anything?”
