“She’s pretty and I really wanted to get rid of my virginity,” he says easily, but he leans into me. “You and Denny?”
“No.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying. I’m just a friend to her.”
He studies me, my expression, my posture, then whistles. “Friendzoned.”
I don’t say anything.
Not for the longest time.
Then, when he doesn’t drop the subject, I sigh. “Yeah.”
“Never thought I’d see the day the great Zach Bradley couldn’t get the chick he wants.”
“Denny isn’t justanychick though, is she?”
“Nah. You got that right.” His fond smile turns into a scowl. “Hey! I should warn you off her! Be the Zach in the friendship, seeing as you’re turning into Peter Can.”
I shove his shoulder but, I can’t deny, that gets a laugh out of me. “Fuck off.”
“To where would I fuck off?” he deadpans. Then, he elbows me in the side. “Genuinely though. You hurt her or mess her around or fuck with her going to that place?—”
“Spain,” I drawl.
“Yeah, the paella place, then I’ll make it my problem.” He grins. It’sgiving great white. With fewer teeth. “There, that sounded sufficiently Bradley-esque, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, but I know where Spain is and you don’t.”
“It’s the boot on the map.”
Mockingly, I applaud him. “That’s Italy. The pasta place.”
He gapes at me. “Oh, my god! That’s why you don’t want to kiss her for the video thing, isn’t it?”
Shit. He really does know me too well. “Maybe.”
“I just thought it was because she’d snip off your balls and put them in the hot wash with our underwear.”
“Fuck, you remember that? Everything that didn’t shrink, melted.”
He snorts. “How could I forget? That was my lucky jersey too. D’s so predictable. She always targets our laundry and we don’t think to protect it. Maybe we need an armed guard?—”
“I’m sure your dad will sign off on that expense.”
With a side-eye, Pecan plucks at his bottom lip. ”She’s such a bitch sometimes.”
“Hey!”
He instantly pounces. “You know it. It’s why youlurrrrrrrrrveher.”
I shove his shoulder again. “Don’t push your luck.”
“That’s the only way I know how to live, bro. Maybe you should come to the party tonight. Get over her by getting under someone else. Just not Addison. I hate that skank.”
“Agreed.” I rub the back of my neck. “I dunno. Denny’s waiting for me outside.”
