Then I winked.
Connor laughed, but it sounded a bit uneasy, and he took a clumsy step backward into the hall. “Shower.” He motioned around vaguely. “I’m going to take a shower, then I’ll be back.”
“Okay,” I said casually, settling back in with my book. “Looking forward to it.”
Excellent work, I berated myself after Connor practically ran for the porch.Truly, an outstanding performance!
Over the past day, I thought I’d done an okay job of keeping things light with Connor—keeping thingsfriendlyinstead offlirty—but here I was, flirting with him again. Why did he have to make it so easy?
Why did he have to make it so fun?
* * *
For the third night in a row, Swede leaped into bed with Connor while I had the top bunk to myself. “Hewillforgive you for pushing him off,” I told Connor, who’d just made anoofnoise. “I promise.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t totally believe you,” he replied. “Arthur—Mads’s dog—is always furious whenever I kick him from the couch.”
“Mads?” I prompted, even though I knew.
“Madeline,” he answered. “My best friend.”
“Mmm.”
Connor snorted. “She has anmmmtoo.”
“What does hers mean?”
“Oh, a variety of things.” Pause. “But she’s very protective of me.”
“Of course she is,” I said.
“What does that mean?” Connor asked, a slight edge in his voice.
Note to self, I thought.Do not make fun of Mads.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, but I wondered if there had ever been something more between them. Billy Crystal’s iconic line echoed in my head:Men and women can’t be friends.
Connor cleared his throat. “Mads and I did try to date once,” he told me. “I can hear you wondering.”
In response, I deployed mymmm.
“We don’t like each other that way.”
“Mmm.”
“She’s obsessed with her boyfriend.”
“Mmm.”
He was indignant. “Olivia!”
I broke down laughing, so hard that tears stung my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said after he groaned, getting myself together. “I believe you; I’m just teasing.”
Connor was quiet, and then, “Mmm.”
“Touché,” I quipped before asking more about Mads. She and Connor had been friends since childhood; she played field hockey, loved her never-ending Spotify playlists, and was both the kindest and most judgmental person Connor knew.
“I love her,” he said. “Just not like that.”
