An image of Knox, Cricket, and me in bed together, the picture he took, which is currently sitting next to the one I took of them this morning on my phone, flashes across my mind, and my cheeks flush.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” My voice wobbles higher, because I am the world’s worst liar.
“Ha-ha!” She bounces on her toes. “You went to his apartment, didn’t you? You’re sleeping with the enemy.”
“He’s not theenemy.” I hit the word a little too hard, although I did make a pretty strong case about not being friends the first time he came here…
“You’re falling for him.”
“I am not!” Again, my voice is too high; my cheeks are all pink. I clear my throat and try again in a lower range. “I’m not falling for Knox Bradford. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Well, it was fun while it lasted.” She snatches the bag of beignets from my hand. “I’m going to pig out on fluffy pastry and powdered sugar.”
“What are you talking about?” I follow her into our small kitchen, watching as she takes down a plate and slides the triangle-shaped donuts from the bag.
“The show.” She takes a bite of one, getting white powder all over her upper lip and nose. “I’m talking about the show, QP.”
“Nothing is going to happen to the show.”
“They came because they loved seeing you go off on him. They stayed because they’ve been shipping you two for weeks. At least the ones who aren’t pissed about it.”
“We’re being shipped?” My stomach squirms, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. “Do we have a portmanteau?”
“Only you would use that word.” She rolls her eyes. “Yes, K-Mel, you have a ship name.”
My nose wrinkles. “Not sure how I feel about that one.”
“Whatever.” She waves me away, shaking her head slowly. “Now I owe Coco money again.”
“What are you betting on this time?”
“She used the Fireside Ladies’ book to cast a true love spell on you. I told her it wouldn’t work.”
“What am I, a Disney princess? I didn’t sing into a well. I didn’t lose a shoe at a ball.”
“And yet you found true love anyway,” she sighs.
“I’m not in love.” My chest squeezes, and I feel that heat rising in my face again. “I barely even know the guy.”
“You are sleeping with him, though.”
My jaw drops, but I don’t even try to lie. It’s no use.
Her expression switches, and I realize she was still fishing.Dammit!
“I knew it!” she squeals. “He’s so hot… And when he showed up at Razoo’s that night. The way he walked straight to you raging like a bull. That look…” She falls back against the counter clutching her chest. “I almost got second-degree burns.”
“You’ve got powdered sugar all over your shirt.”
She doesn’t care, absently wiping at her shirt. “That face… that ass…”
“We’ve got a lot more to think about than hormones right now,” I interrupt. “You’re not going to believe what’s happened. It’s top secret, but since you’re my producer, you should know.”
She straightens, and I step closer, lowering my voice. “He has a baby.”
“Oh, no. No no no…” Lindsey steps back frowning. “We don’t have time for baby-mamma drama.”
She waves her finger in front of her, but I catch her hand. “It’s not like that. At least, I don’t think it’s like that.”
