Page 65 of No Summer Hotter than You

Although I was relieved to see company, I suddenly remembered I forgot to get dinner like I promised Andy and Julie I would. They were staying overnight in Anthony’s duplex since we were all heading up to the lake and mountains tomorrow morning.

I received a text from Julie around lunchtime after Anthony left, letting me know they were coming up from SoCal. I mentally reminded myself to grab dinner as we texted back and forth for a bit. Then I completely forgot after I became busy with paperwork.

“Hey, you two,” I said, walking into Anthony’s home.

My good friend and cousin were quintessentially the picture-perfect couple all cozied up on the sofa, watching some movie on TV and eating orange creamsicles. Andy had been in love with Julie for as long as I could remember. They had been best friends since childhood. I was surprised it took him so long to confess his love for her. Before, I used to think he was being unreasonable and even stupid for holding back.

Now that I was in the same position of having feelings for my best friend, I finally understood why he hesitated. There were only truly two outcomes for this situation: it could go perfectly well like Julie and Andy’s relationship, where feelings are reciprocated, or it could be disastrous, leading to my friendship with Anthony becoming strained and lifeless.

I didn’t want to lose Anthony. Not like this.

“Hey, Shoua!” Julie said with a smile.

I couldn’t help but notice how Andy nodded in my direction with the same sly, annoying smirk Anthony always wore when he wanted to get on my nerves. As fraternal twins, they often had too many similarities.

“What, Andy?” I bit.

He laughed, tipping his head slightly. “So, you and my stupid brother are finally together now?”

His comment made Julie’s smile broaden and her eyes light up. “Jonathan’s been telling us all about you two!”

Julie and I had always been close. We often chatted a few times each month, but with me being busy with work and being Anthony’s “girlfriend” on top of that, I had been too busy to talk. Not just that, but I suspected Julie’s furniture restoration side gig was picking up steam with lots of great sales. She’d been busy herself driving around the city and hunting for her next project.

“What a little snitch,” I grumbled, plopping myself next to Julie on the couch. “What has he said about us?”

I grabbed a handful of the warm popcorn from the bowl sitting in Julie’s lap and was about to toss it into my mouth when Andy spoke up. “Heard you two might as well be a real couple these days.”

“That’s what people call good acting, Andy,” I scoffed.

He let out a hearty laugh as he threw back his head. “I bet Anthony will say the same thing. But what happens when the lines between what’s fake and real become blurred? What then?”

“It won’t happen,” I said with certainty. Because it already did and I’ve already established we’re still friends while he looked at me with regret.

“Really? Not even when you two hold hands or lean into each other?” Julie asked. “Or maybe even share a kiss?”

Andy immediately perked up at his girlfriend’s question. “What? Share a kiss?”

I parted my lips, ready to deny everything, but all I did was let out an uneven, shaky breath. “N-no—” Anthony suddenly waltzed into the room before I could say more.

“Hey, everyone!” his loud voice boomed throughout the home as he graced us with his wide grin.

“You two kissed?” Andy blurted, now completely assuming things. Neither Anthony or I haven mentioned it to any other soul about it.

“What?” Anthony asked, whipping his head toward me. He blinked, surprised and taken aback by his brother’s question, and then glanced back at the couple. “N-no?—”

Andy and Julie didn’t reply and then turned to me with raised brows and gaping mouths. My lack of answer and stumble only served to confirm that we had kissed. With a single blink, Julie’s shock was replaced with a beautiful, wide smile.

“How was it?” she asked with a voice so delighted I took a moment to comprehend.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“How was the kiss?” Julie pressed, glancing between Anthony and me.

“W-well—” Anthony started as I stumbled over his words with an, “I-it?—”

Andy laughed, leaning forward. “No need to be shy, you two. It’s just a kiss,” he said, glancing between us curiously. “Right?”

“Of course,” I said, letting out a stiff laugh. “It was nothing much. Just a simple peck.”

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