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“Go on, Morgan. Ask him,” Nat said, venom dripping on every word as Morgan remained rigid in defiance. “What’s wrong? You were all eager to be an evil fucking bitch thirty seconds ago. Spit it out.”

“Hey!” Dustin said.

“Woah, woah! Let’s just calm the fuck down, yeah?” Bren said, as Arlo threw him a panicked look.

Nat huffed and hurled herself onto the counter of the light-studded vanity that covered a third of the wall behind her.

“Babe,” Dustin said, crossing to wrap an arm around Morgan’s shoulder as she choked on a sob. “What happened?”

“Nothing!” Morgan said, blinking the wetness from her eyes. “She’s freaking out over nothing!”

Nat was a snarling bulldog, turning her growl into words. “No one’s buying the innocent act chucklefuck.”

Dustin looked like he was going to shout again but took a deep breath instead.

“Morgan, babe. What happened?”

She looked anxiously at everyone else before shaking her head.

“You tell them or I will,” Nat said, her voice calmer but no less corrosive.

“I just—” Morgan’s shoulders pulled in like she was trying to make herself as small as possible, but then she stood at full height to look at Arlo with pleading eyes. “I just asked if she wouldn’t mind asking you and Bren to be a little less . . .” she looked around the room again like she was hoping someone might hand the word to her. “Overt in public.”

It took a second for the meaning to sink in for Bren, but when his eyes met Arlo’s, it looked like he’d been slapped. He may as well have.

“I don’t have a problem with you two or anything! I’m totally an ally,” Morgan rushed on, like she could make things better if she just said more words. “But it’s just, shouldn’t that stuff be sort of private? Like at the pool, I’m sure it made some people uncomfortable to see two guys being so close like that.”

Bile rose in Bren’s throat as the curtain parted on the core of who Morgan was. Cian with a kiss instead of a fist. He owed Nat a million apologies for not taking her seriously.

“And,” Nat spat.

And? What the fuck else could she have said?

Morgan wrung her hands before sighing and turning to Bren. If he didn’t know any better, he thought she was wearing an exasperated smile, like he’d be on her side.

“Look, everyone likes to flirt, but it’s not cool to do it when the person you’re flirting with is already taken,” she said, leaning against Dustin’s arm.

“What?” Bren asked. He must have misunderstood.

“She wants A.J. to back off her man, dude,” Nat said.

“What?”

Arlo’s eyes widened with horror before his whole body deflated, grabbing his arm with a hand as he stared at the floor. There wasn’t enough time for anyone to say anything else before he popped his head back up.

“I-I didn’t—I mean—I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry if—”

“No!” Nat jumped off the counter. “Don’t apologize to that fucking skank.”

She looked about ready to slap the bronzer right off Morgan and part of Bren wished she would.

“Are you going to let her talk to me like that?” Morgan asked, taking a step back from Dustin like she needed a better look at him.

“Babe, I mean—” He sighed and turned to Nat with pleading eyes. “Just chill with the names and shit, eh?” It looked for a split second like Morgan wasn’t happy with the defense from her boyfriend, but her face settled into something almost smug when Nat threw up a hand in acknowledgement.

The look slipped right off when Dustin forced a smile. “But I think we can all agree, if anyone’s flirting with me it’s Ireland.” Bren had to work to not shrug off his hand when it landed on his shoulder—he was at least trying to help. “But it’s OK because we’re bros.”

“You’re so naive,” Morgan said, and when no one responded, she scoffed. “Fine, I guess I’m crazy. Just forget I said anything!”