Page 68 of Talk Nerdy To Me
“When I run into them at stores, I make sure to buy condoms and lubrication,” she tells me proudly, even though it’s spoken in a conspiratorial whisper. “Then I start talking about my plans for the items mentioned until they beg me to stop talking.”
I choke back a laugh, tilting my head. “Every time?” I ask her.
“The first few times were done unwittingly, but now it’s done on purpose. That’s why I have three drawers full. I find it weird they haven’t questioned it by now.”
Tria snorts, turning so her body shakes with silent laughter. A few more women are doing the same.
“Oh, that’s priceless. Why am I just finding out?” Salem asks, struggling not to laugh.
“This is actually the first time I’ve heard of that too,” Harley says, her mouth gaping even as she smiles.
“Maybe you should have been applying your eavesdropping skills sooner,” I quip.
Salem works harder not to laugh, and Harley just shakes her head. Salem finally gives up and heads over to that weird kid, who is…still sizing me up. I swear I’m not making that up.
“Britt!” Dane says louder, fortunately too far away to know what’s going on.
“Let them divide and conquer. I’ll find you when round two is over,” I tell her.
She hesitates, her eyes flicking to me as though she has something else she wants to say.
“What?” I prompt.
“They’ve often had to apologize for me when I use inappropriate conversation to an offensive degree—for lack of social refinement that I’m still adapting to,” she says, confusing me.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
She glances around. “This is the first time I’ve felt the urge to apologize for them. I’m not sure really what to say, other than I’m certain they won’t actually cause you physical harm. And I’m sorry.”
I wipe away my smile, trying to keep a straight face.
“Not the first time I’ve dealt with big brothers.”
“I technically only have one brother,” she points out.
I pat her hand, winking at her. “I’m aware.”
She hesitates again, then finally walks off. Reluctantly.
Ash is immediately at my side. “Please be careful with her,” she cautions.
“I told her I have three months until I leave for tour. I stopped, because it suddenly sounded like a cheesy line used in cheesy sailor films before they headed out to sea for months.”
She stifles whatever sound she makes—definitely a laugh.
“Just do me a favor.”
“Only if that favor has nothing to do with the bet,” I tell her, causing her to suck in an indignant breath.
I glance over at her, and she drops the act, shrugging unapologetically. “I never win anything. I don’t want you to run off, but if you decide you’d like to run off, do it in the next five minutes or not at all.”
She walks away, and I turn just as Maverick Sterling approaches, a smirk on his lips as he guides the weird kid toward me.
“I’d like you to meet Sean. Sean is in your life more than anyone would ever realize. Remember that. For now, Sean needs to borrow your phone so he can use it to find his,” Maverick says very seriously, as though he’s delivering devastating news.
My eyes flick to Sean, who looks exasperated, then to Maverick, who looks expectant. “I think I’ll pass,” I state, arching an eyebrow at him.
“This is Maverick,” the kid says, lazily gesturing to said Sterling, as he rolls his head so that his eyes can meet Mav’s. “Maverick’s an idiot.”
