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ME

What is this jovial mood?

COLE

I bought gummies. I didn’t take much. I figured they’d mellow me out.

ME

Should I come down and join you?

COLE

Are you going to flash me again?

I snickered, then decided what the hell? If he was going to go all silly on me, I’d meet him where he was. I unzipped the front of my bra, then slowly took it off, keeping eye contact with his sunglasses all the while. It felt strangely hot. I shouldn’t have done it. Why had I done it? It was mostly harmless, He’d already seen me half-naked. He had touched my feet while I lay there after falling on my ass. I’d shared personal things with him, but this was different.

My phone buzzed. I wasn’t sure what to think.

* * *

COLE

Oh shit! What did I do?

It took me a minute to piece it together. Chloe was all over the place. We were bantering. Then, did she just flash me? Jesus Christ! What did I do to respond to that? I’d just seen the woman’s tits for a second time. But did she want me to go to the main house and knock? Why? Good lord? What did she want with me?

I was only slightly stoned, but had been chill until this. Now, I panicked. Mind racing, I wondered if I were somehow at fault. Did I get myself into trouble or were we both adults free and clear who could do this? Piper texted that she didn’t feel well and would walk home. I asked if she was okay with that. She said she was.

There was no time left to consider if I did or didn’t escalate things with my younger landlord with perfect tits. No, I had to play dad and move along. By the time Piper returned, I was back in parenting mode.

She collapsed into my arms, sobbing because some girl she thought was her friend called her a cow. I held back the impulse to ask where this kid lived because I’d like to give her dad a piece of my mind.

“Piper, that’s not true. But even if you were an actual highland cow, sweetheart, it wouldn’t be right,” I said.

“I know,” Piper sniffled. “But it hurts. Meghan is so nice. Bettina is a fucking bitch and I hate her.”

“Okay, which one is Meghan?” I asked.

“The one with the purple hair,” Piper said. “She’s so cool.”

“And Bettina?”

“The rich bitch with the Chanel bag.”

“Is that the girl who came with purple hair girl and ate all our ice cream?”

Piper nodded.

“So the other one who then told everyone that they shouldn’t expect to burn that many calories, but her body was superhuman or some shit and I told her that’s not how it worked?”

Piper giggled, “Yeah.”

“Fuck her,” I sighed, unable to play nice about petty things.

“But Leslie—my other friend—invited me over to get ready with her for the first Friday dance,” Piper said. “I’m so excited!”

“Why not just… not see these girls again?” I sighed, knowing it would not change. “I’m glad you’re making friends, but⁠—”