The TV goes black. “Me either,” Paulie growls. “God, it’s fuckingpainful.”
The Jetties are struggling. Honestly, that might be an understatement. It’s still early in the season, but damn, with the way they’re playing, we’ll have no shot at the playoffs. They were down twelve to two in the eighth. Sorry,fourteenafter that two-run home run by the opposing team.
Shelby lets out a squeal, and Maddox chuckles. I frown at them. They’re snuggled up on the loveseat. Maddox has a book open that they’re both reading. I don’t blame them for reading during that game. We should have all taken a page out of their book. Heh.
“Are you two reading your dirty books again?” Paulie cocks one of his thick brows.
Maddy and Shelby turn glares on him. Likeferociousstatus, so much so I inch discreetly behind Jed’s frame. Maddy has a serious mein on a good day, add a glare and he’s like a Doberman. Don’t mess. Shelby is about as ferocious as a squirrel with her round cheeks and large brown eyes. But don’t underestimate squirrels. They’re feisty.
“That sounded a lot like judgement,” Shelby says and tosses her ponytail. “Don’t you think, Madz?”
“Sounded like someone wants you to stop having sex with him if you ask me,” Maddy returns, his green gaze sweeping up and down Paulie with disgust.
“Hey!” Paulie cries, lifting his hands like a busted perp. “I was just teasing. I’m sure your dirty books are full of, like, deep meaning and stuff.”
I wince. He’s totally digging himself deeper.
Maddy holds the book to his chest, and Shelby covers itwith her hands like she’s trying to shield it from Paulie’s words.
“Romanceis powerful,” Shelby says, bristling.
“It is. It helps people.” Maddy juts out his chin. “Really helps them—heal, understand others better, escape when they need to. When I thought it would never happen between me and East, I read a lot of stories about characters in my situation who eventually found love elsewhere. I needed that hope.”
“Maddy,” East whispers.
Damn. That’s heavy.
Maddy shoots him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, babe. We got our love story in the end.”
“It’s empowering.” She jabs her finger at her boyfriend. “In a world run bymen, it gives women a space where they can control the narrative. Where queer love’s beauty shines. It gives people from marginalized groups a chance to see themselves in a love story when the world insists there isn’t room for them.”
Madz nods stiffly in agreement. “And so what, the characters we read about love both emotionally and physically. Not sure about the rest of you, but it’s fairly common to have sex with your romance. I bet you’ve been receiving dividends from Shelby reading thesedirtybooks.”
“I know I have.” East raises his hand. His eyes widen. “Ohmygod.From Maddy.Maddy. Not Shelby,” he sputters and glances at Paulie.
I burst out laughing and collapse onto Jed’s chest, body shaking against him. Oh, East.
Paulie grins. “Relax, East. You know it doesn’t bother me.”
Jed leans into me, lips brushing my ear. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”
I turn to him, my mouth grazing his—totally accidentally, of course. “East and Shelby used to date. East, Maddy, and Shelbs all went to GCSU together.”
Jed’s eyebrows lift to his hairline. “Wait.” He glances at the two cuddled together on the couch. “So you both…” He looks at East, then back to the duo. “And you’re?”
Maddy snorts. “Yeah. We both. And we’re.”
What the fuck even is this conversation right now?
“Huh,” Jed says. “Wild. An ex and current partner being best friends isn’t something you see every day.” He glances between East and Paulie. “Nor best friends surviving dating the same person. You guys are an…interesting group.”
That’s for sure.
“So, what are these books?” Jed leans forward and snatches the book from Maddy—who immediately scrambles after it. Shelby’s eyes go wide, her mouth parting on choked-off noise.
“I wouldn’t mind dividends.” He glances at me, a mischievous glint in his dark eyes. I like the way he thinks. We glance down at the book.
And stiffen.
