Page 19 of Jagged

"Considering it's poured on me more than once recently, I tend to agree."

A small smile tugged the corner of her mouth. "Good. I'm glad you agree with me."

"Don't get too used to it." I chuckled as I headed to the door. "Thanks again."

She nodded, then offered me a small, somewhat awkward wave.

***

"You ready for this?" I asked Tati as she sat on my bed watching me get dressed like a creep.

"Sending my baby child off to Portugal for a month on her own?" She drew in a slow breath. "No. Not at all."

"She's going with her grandmother." I stared at her while gathering my wet hair into a ponytail. "And she's leaving from here with said grandmother."

"I know…but she's never gone alone." Tati leaned back on her hands while watching me. "Wanna do the FWB thing?"

"No." I swatted her leg with my towel. "Don't start that shit just because you're stressed."

"C'mon, Jags." She whined. "It's been seven years."

I laughed hard while pulling the sports bra over my head. "Smartly so. Go FWB yourself with that big floppy dildo you have in your room."

"I mean…I plan to." She cracked up, shaking her head. "But I'm in the mood to lie on my back and have someone else do it for me."

"You can always hook up with Frankie—"

"Don't even!" Tatiana scoffed. "Your annoying sister from the same mister."

My laughter continued as I finished dressing, then dropped down to sit on the bed beside her. "I know you're just saying this to tease me. You don't want to hook up."

"No." She smirked when I called her out on the truth. "But you seem stressed more than me."

"I'm fine."

"You seem overwhelmed."

"I'm fine. When Reagan heads off to her grandmother's, we can go to Wildrose or something to chill. How's that sound?"

"Perfect." She smiled and shoved my shoulder. "You okay though, for real?"

"I am."

She held her arm up to me. "Bring it in. Let's go."

"No way." I shoved her arm. "You just got weird and asked to be FWBs. Ew."

Tatiana cracked up and flopped back on the bed. "I was kidding!"

"Well, don't tease like that. It's weird." I scrunched my nose and pretended to gag.

Her snickers continued and she folded her arms behind her head. "Your reaction is worth it. Besides…Wyatt is looking kinda fine these days. Have you noticed?"

"He is." I smiled at the thought of our mutual friend. "We're going skating Friday night. Wanna come?"

"And break my face?" She shook her head. "Nah."

"C'mon. It's your first night without Reagan. We'll use that as an excuse. You can just watch. We're going to the skatepark anyway."