Page 88 of The Hookup Mix-up

“Oh, Jesus Christ. Not you too.” Brax rubs his forehead like we’re all giving him a headache.

“I mean, you’re lucky I haven’t called you that,” my brother taunts.

“Don’t you dare, Lacrosse.”

“You guys wanna go hang out in the secret smoke room?” Theo asks.

“I mean, we wouldn’t say no,” Ty answers.

We only make it halfway across the yard before the girl I recognize from my internet stalking says, “Theo?” Ah yes. The ex-girlfriend who gave up the greatest guy I’ve ever known. Her gaze darts to our clasped hands, then back at Theo’s puppy face. “Wow. You’ve…changed.”

I’m stiff beside him, wondering if she’s going to say something that pisses me off and hurts him, worried that he’s embarrassed of this, and how she sees him, but Theo’s hand on mine only gives me a comforting squeeze.

“I don’t know that I have. I’m just finally letting myself see who I am.”

Whitney smiles, and finally, I can breathe. “That’s good. I heard you have a boyfriend now. I take it this is him.”

“I do. He makes me really happy.”

“Then I’m happy for you. I feel bad for how things went down, but it looks like everything turned out for the best.”

Theo nods. “Yeah. I hope you’re doing well too.”

Whitney confirms she is before a guy calls her name. “I should go. It’s good seeing you, Theo.” And then she walks to the guy, and Theo begins tugging me away.

“Well, that could have been awkward,” Ty teases, making us laugh.

The four of us sneak around the shed, and Theo unlocks the door. He turns the lights on, each of us taking one of the beanbag chairs, while he packs the bong.

“I like this party a whole lot better than the one out there,” Brax says.

“It’s always the four of us,” Ty argues.

“Which I like better, Lacrosse. Do you even know me?”

We share another round of laughter, then start passing the bong around. When it’s dusted, we all sit back, gazes darting between each other.

“I want to try on the puppy hood.” Ty bounces around in his chair. Theo picks it up from beside him—he’d taken if off to smoke.

Ty takes it from Theo, jumps onto Brax’s lap, straddling him, and tugs it onto his boyfriend’s head.

“What the fuck,” Brax says, but he doesn’t argue or try to take it off. He’s clearly used to Ty’s shenanigans.

“Hey, I kinda like this. Can we borrow it tonight?” Ty asks.

“Fuck no,” I answer before Theo can. “No sex games in my puppy’s hood.”

“Pfft. I thought brothers shared everything.” Ty pouts as Brax takes it off and tosses it back to us. “I’m high.”

“No shit,” I reply.

Theo giggles. I have no idea why, but of course it makes me do the same, followed by Ty, then Brax. I don’t know how long it lasts, the four of us sitting out here, laughing and talking, but again I’m reminded how fucking lucky I am…how happy.

I tug Theo closer, so we’re both sorta lying on the beanbags, with his head on my shoulder and my arm around him.

Ty says, “You were right, Sunshine. This party is better.”

Yeah, yeah it is.

---