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“A date?” Allison perked up. “Tell me everything.”
Dakota grinned, launching into an explanation of the swoony Felipe over at Mug Shots. While she and Allison giggled over her upcoming date, I waved to get our server’s attention.
He arrived with the check, and I cashed Dakota and me out on the same bill, handing over a credit card.
“Joey!” Dakota protested. “Why are you paying for me? I have a date with Felipe, not you.”
“You barely had one drink,” I said. “It’s no big deal.”
I signed the bill while Dakota said her goodbyes, making plans to grab lunch with Allison sometime, and then we went outside.
“You really didn’t have to pay,” Dakota said. “You work for minimum wage.”
“Eh, it’s my parents’ credit card.”
Her eyes widened. “Joey! Tell me you’re not stealing from them after everything.”
“No! They gave it to me for expenses.” My cheeks heated, thinking of how it must look that I was still relying on my parents like a kid. “I haven’t kept a job long enough to get out on my own, but I’m working on it.”
She smiled sympathetically. “Who am I to judge? I live with my brother.”
“Better than your parents.”
She laughed. “Oh, I know. I did not want to be their burden.” She grimaced. “Not that I’m calling you a burden! It’s different. You can leave when you want.”
“You could leave too, right? I mean, if you didn’t want to live with Kit anymore.”
“You angling to take my place as his roommate?”
“Fuck no,” I blurted.
She laughed. “I’m just kidding. But wow, Kit would be hurt to know how horrifying you find that idea.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, no. He’s not thinking about me that way either. It’s casual.”
“Uh-huh. You two hopped into bed, despite the crazy baggage between us all, for just a bit of fun. Totally makes sense.”
I huffed a breath. “You’re kind of a pain in the ass, you know that?”
Dakota grinned. “Kit has told me a few times.” She slapped my outer thigh, since she was in her chair and I was standing. “But hey, I’m glad to see you admit it. Maybe we’re making progress. Sad, guilty Joey was getting a bit old. I want to see feisty, snarky Joey more often.”
“Harsh,” I said. “I had no idea you were so mean, Dakota.”
“See, we really are on our way to being real friends,” she teased. “You’re snarky. I’m mean. We’re a perfect match.”
I snorted. “Whatever you say.”
“And Kit and you can have something real,” she said, more seriously. “I hope you know that. I want him to be happy. I think he needs to wrap his head around this history we’ve all got, but once he does, he’s going to fall so hard for you.”
I shook my head. “I can’t think like that. He might never…”
“He will,” she said. “I know my brother.” She reached out and gripped my hand. “And you and I really are friends. I’d tell you if it was hopeless. It’s not.”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll take whatever I can get.”
“But you can have more,” she insisted. “And it’s time you start believing that. Amends are over, Joey. You’ve done your penance, okay? Take your life back. Start living again. And help my brother do the same. It’s time we all stop letting this fucking accident hold us back. Don’t you think?”
I wasn’t going to argue with such an impassioned speech.
