Page 57 of The Dixon Rule

“Damn. What happens to the people who get dumped?”

“Okay, so they—” I’m starting to become animated. “They go to the Sugar Shack.”

Shane snorts. “Who makes up this shit?”

“The greatest producers of all time.”

I unpause.

“The Sugar Shack sounds like a place where people go to fuck,” he remarks.

I hit pause again. “No, that’s the Sugar Suite.”

He breaks out in a deep rumble of laughter.

“Every few episodes, the public votes on which couple gets an overnight in the Sugar Suite. I think this is why the Connor is so upset right now, because Zoey and Connor just had the overnight. And! They did stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?” Shane sounds intrigued.

“I don’t know. They can’t show it. But it looked like his hand was moving under the blanket. People get very attached after they go to the Sugar Suite.”

“Well, especially someone like Zoey,” Shane agrees. “She’s so sensitive.”

I try to gauge if he’s mocking me.

“What?” he says sheepishly. “You can just tell. Did you see how upset she got when Jas made fun of Todd’s chest hair? She pulled Todd aside and told him it looked nice.”

“If she’s so sensitive, why is she open to Ben?” I counter. “We both know if Ben picks her, the Connor may end up alone because Erica is for sure not picking the Connor.”

“No, he’s not alpha enough for Erica.”

“I’m unpausing now. Hush.”

Shane chuckles as he reaches for his beer. “You’re so fucking bossy.”

By the time the episode ends, we’ve demolished the pizza and consumed a drink each.

“Let me grab another beer before you put the next one on,” Shane says, rising from the couch. “Want a top-up?” He nods at my nearly empty glass.

I hand it to him. “Yes please.”

Rather than walk off, he peers down at me, thoughtful.

“What?” I say.

Shane gestures toward the pizza box, the beer, the TV. “This is a truce, right?”

“No.” I snicker. “And you’re naive for even asking that.”

“I know. I felt stupid the moment I said it.” He lets out a sigh. “Let me grab those refills.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

SHANE

Don’t turn me on this early in the morning

I SPEND MOST OF THE WEEK GOLFING AND WORKING OUT, THE TWO CORE tenets of the Summer of Shane. So far, life is pretty phenomenal. I feel sorry for the pool-boy Wills and construction-laborer Ryders of the world. I grabbed drinks with Will last night at Malone’s, and he was so tired and sunburned from work, he almost passed out in our booth.

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