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Once she was out of ear shot Everett shook his head. “Who the fuck says that anymore? Willa doesn’t say shit like that.”

“That’s because I know you morons don’t care if I have to take a shit.” Not only were the guys very open about their bodily functions, they were surprisingly aware of female bodily functions and very cool about it all. If I said I had my period, they bought me ice cream and pet my hair. If I needed tampons, they added it to the grocery cart without blinking. When I say they didn’t care about bodily functions, I meant they really didn’t care.

It was part of why I liked them so much.

“Willa’s too good for us.” Isaac said with a smile. “She puts up with all our shit.”

The truth was I grew up with a single dad. My mom wasn’t anywhere in the picture. We were a team from day one, best friends for life and all that. I hung out with his friends, went to his ball games, and spent every weekend watching sports and cooking at the grill. I always felt more comfortable around guys because I understood them.

It wasn’t a surprise when I got to college and found myself hanging out with the baseball team by accident. Honestly, I didn’t know that’s who they were when I met them. My roommate said she knew of a party. We went. Next thing I knew I was chugging beer with Seth.

Almost two years later we were an inseparable group.

I kicked Seth. “So what is it you like about Lori?”

He made big eyes at me. “Have you seen her? She’s fucking hot!” Then he shrugged to cover the fact that he actually had some feelings. “She’s nice to talk to.”

“Awww.” Everett cooed. “Sethy boy’s in love!”

Some of the other ball players at the far end of the table batted their lashes at Seth.

His cheeks actually turned pink! But before he could lash out at his teammates, Lori returned and he focused all his attention on her.

It was clear Seth really liked her, but she was so uptight. I had trouble picturing them lasting long term, just like Isaac and Amanda. Although did anyone really last? It felt like no relationships went the distance anymore.

“So,” Lori’s eyes lit up as she patted my hand, “who do you have your eye on?” She nodded to the table of ballplayers.

I balked. “No one.” They were my friends! I didn’t think of them like that.

She frowned. “Surely you don’t hang out with them for fun.”

I swear I saw Everett cock his head like he was listening to us. Strange. “They’re my best friends. Do you hang out with your friends because you’re trying to bang them?” My gaze zeroed in on Everett’s hand, watching it become a fist. His knuckles turned white.

“Absolutely not!” Lori sputtered. “I just, don’t you have friends who are girls?”

“No.” And based on this conversation I never would. Girls were complicated. Guys were straightforward. I liked straightforward, even if it came with a side of farts and fast food.

Lori stared at me for a while. Like I was a display in a museum. A rare and strange artifact for her to study.

Meanwhile I studied Everett. Casually though. I was just curious. He hadn’t said a word since Lori came back to the table. He still had a fist clenched on the table. His soda seemed to be the most fascinating thing in the world. Seth and Isaac were engaged in a heated discussion about something called “the shift”. Something that normally would have drawn Everett in as well. Instead, he just sat there.

“You okay?”

He startled. His gaze locked with mine. He looked confused. Maybe he’d gotten so lost in his head he forgot where he was. “Me? Yeah. Oh, I’m fine. Just thinking.”

Everett had a very animated face. Eyebrows, eyes, forehead, cheeks, lips, and chin all moving with each word as if each word had a position on his face. It made him very handsome. There was no hiding anything. Everything Everett thought or felt was always written all over his face.

Except I couldn’t figure out what had confused him so thoroughly. I must have missed something.

“Tell him, Ev.” Seth waved his hand through the air. “He’ll listen to you.”

Everett dragged his gaze away from mine. “About the shift?”

“No,” Seth groaned. “About Amanda.”

Everett pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s his life. Let him live it.”

My gaze darted between the men. What had I missed?