Page 49 of Teasing a King

“Alright Mya,” Hannah says, “Spill. How are things with you and Van since you’ve thrown out your friend zone rule?”

I feel my face heat and I’m grateful for my warm brown skin, no doubt passed on from my mother. At least it’s not glaringly obvious that I’m blushing right now. But Hope knows me well. She knows all my expressions and it only takes a second for her to call me out on it. Her face splits into a wide smile and she points at me.

“Look at you,” she says in a sing-song voice. “When’s the last time talking about a man made you blush?”

I shove her shoulder lightly. “Shut up.”

She just laughs it off. “Seriously though. How are things between you two? I feel like we haven’t had any time together without all the guys.”

I sigh, smiling. “Things are great. It’s only been a month, but I’m happy. And I think he is too. We get along.” I shake my head, unable to explain just how I feel about Van.

“Uh oh,” Quinn says. “That looks serious.”

I look up to find her pointing at my face.

“What?” I ask, confused.

Quinn just smiles. “You’re falling for your baby daddy, aren’t you?”

I open my mouth to argue, but I can’t find the words. The truth is, I’m worried she’s right. I’m falling for Van, and I don’t know how to stop it. I don’t know if I want to stop it. And lately, I’m having a hard time trying to remember why it’s even such a bad idea.You know why, a voice whispers in my head.What if he doesn’t love you back? What if he decides you’re not worth the effort anymore?I feel a strange panicky feeling well up inside me at the thought. To hide it, I smile widely.

“It’s probably all the orgasms,” I say, winking at Claire who looks horrified.

The other three ladies join me in laughing at her expression.

“You are all horrible women and I have no idea why I hang out with you,” Claire says indignantly. She picks up her mimosa and downs it in one gulp before refilling it from the pitcher in the center of the table.

“Come on,” Quinn says, nudging Claire with her elbow. “You know we make your life more interesting.”

“So does a car crash,” Claire mutters.

Hannah, Hope and Quinn all give her matching looks of disapproval.

“Not funny,” Hannah says with a glare.

“Too soon, chick,” Quinn says.

Claire shrugs. “What? You guys can joke about having sex with my brothers, but I joke about one little head injury and everyone’s a critic.”

It takes me a second to realize what they’re talking about. Claire’s car accident. It had happened just before Hannah and Finn’s wedding. Apparently, she’d given the whole family quite a scare. I hadn’t known Claire well at the time, but I remember Hope’s worry afterwards.

I smile at Claire. “I thought it was a good joke,” I say. “They just don’t appreciate dark humor.”

Hope rolls her eyes. “Of course, you would.”

“Okay, there’s one thing I’ve been wondering,” Quinn says, leaning forward over the table and lowering her voice. She looks from me to Hope. “Just how identical are the twins, though?” Quinn asks waggling her eyebrows.

Hope and I share a look of shock before we burst out laughing. Hannah hides her face in her hands and Claire looks like she might be physically ill.

“I can’t believe you asked that,” Hannah says, struggling not to laugh.

Quinn just shrugs. “You know you were wondering too.”

Hannah only shakes her head without comment. I look over at Hope and lift one shoulder in a tiny shrug. “Should we tell them?”

She sighs. “I guess so.”

I lean over the table. The others follow suit, with the exception of Claire. She looks horrified at the prospect of us discussing her brothers’ anatomy. Her wide eyes dart back and forth between me and Hope.

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