I’d planned on using our downtime to stay in bed with Ari, and hopefully finally have that talk I’ve been avoiding, but fate has other plans, and we’re interrupted by Naz.
He knocks once before breezing into the room. Should’ve locked that.
“Put your dicks away, we have meddling to do.”
Ari, who was laying across the bed with his head on my stomach, shoots to a sitting position.
“I’m too tired to get it out in the first place. Do it for me.”
“Wha—?” Ari’s gaze dart to me, his eyes wide.
Oh yeah, kinda forgot to tell him Naz knows. Whoops.
“Gross, dude. You’re like my brother—wait, I forgot you’re into that.” Naz jokes.
“Shut up,” I say, and throw a pillow at him. He catches it and dives onto the bed between us, situates the pillow behind him, and lays back with his hands behind his head.
“So, anyway. Luc called.”
Ari’s mouth snaps shut and he perks up. “He did? Why? He wants Jesse back, right? I knew he wouldn’t just?—”
“Dude, let him talk,” I say, laughing.
Naz shrugs. “Pretty much that, actually. He wants to make some kind of grand gesture. Our job is to figure out how to stall Jesse after the game, to give Luc enough time to get to us. Blake is making sure they have a quiet place to talk, and I think Luc’s friends AJ and Shawna are putting something together.”
“Like what? Filling the room full of roses or something?”
“Hell if I know.”
“Well, find out, because if it’s something like that, they’ll need our help. He doesn’t even like roses, unless they’re black. He likes most black flowers, but he really likes those weird red and orangey tropical flowers that look kind of like fire.”
“How do you know all of that?” I ask. I’ve known Jesse as long as he has, but I didn’t know what kind of flower he likes. I’m not even sure I know what his favorite color is, although I’d assume black or some shade of grey.
“Haven’t you noticed them in all the hotels we’ve been at?”
“I just assumed the hotel did that. There are usually fresh flowers wherever we stay.”
“And they just happen to be the exact same exotic flowers at every hotel?”
I shrug. “We mostly stay at the same chain.”
He shakes his head like there’s something wrong with me.
“Do you have a favorite flower?” I ask Ari, somewhat sheepishly because I feel like I should know. I know that his favorite color is blue, his favorite food is grilled peaches with honey, and he says his favorite band isThe White Stripes, but it’s secretlyHootie and The Blowfish.
Ari’s mouth quirks up on one side, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “You really want to know?”
“Well, apparently at least Naz should know, in case I ever want to do some kind of grand gesture thing.”
Ari and Naz both laugh.
“Bro. Not really your thing.”
I frown at Naz. “Says who? I could totally do some romantic shit. You don’t know me.”
“I know what you sound like when Ari does that thing with his finger,” he deadpans.
Ari smacks him. “Naz!”
