Page 32 of Brazen Criminals

“Oh! You guys can use the living room if you don’t mind a few of us hanging around and watching with you. I’ll even make some popcorn.” I wink, hoping she’ll invite me to stay. I don’t really want to go out and be around random people right now, and I hate being alone. My chill is on from my two-hour tai chi jam session, and a movie with Clara sounds perfect.

“Sure. I’m just going to go put on something less dress-shaped,” she says before disappearing down the back hallway.

I run upstairs and knock on all the doors. RJ opens first. “Movie night!” I yell.

“Maybe,” he grumbles before closing the door.

Walker pops his head out, followed by Trips. “Movie night!” I try again.

Walker shrugs. “Okay. What are we watching?”

“I have no idea. Clara invited her friend Emma over. I said she could use the big screen.”

“I’m out,” Trips says, slamming his door.

I flip him off. Walker laughs. “Sure, I’m game.”

He locks up and comes downstairs. “I’m going to make popcorn,” I say.

Walker pulls stuff out of the pantry. “I’ll make cookies.”

“Woot! Walker cookies!” I dance around him in the kitchen until he shoves me to the other side of the island. “Dude, I’ve wanted them all summer. I need you to come home with me over break or something. Or maybe you could mail me cookies? Would they still taste good?”

He shakes his head. “They’d be stale before you got them.”

Pulling out the biggest bowl we have, I start microwaving. Four bags should be good for the four of us, probably. I should eat dinner, but Walker’s cookies sound better, so I decide to wait.

After the third bag, there’s a knock at the front, so I trot up and pull open the door. A tall girl with pink hair stands on the porch, holding two flat bags of popcorn in her hands. “Hi! You must be Emma. I’m Jansen. Come on in.”

She shifts the popcorn bags under her elbow so she can reach out to shake my hand. It’s awkward, but we manage. She follows me back to the kitchen. “Oh gosh, you already made popcorn,” she says, a pout on her face.

“Eh. More popcorn is always better,” I say, pulling the latest bag from the microwave and tossing hers in. Walker has finished up the dough and is doing row after row of dough balls. I snag one and pop it into my mouth—heaven.

“Idiot. Don’t eat them before they’re cooked,” he scolds.

“They’re just so good, I can’t help myself,” I say. “Walker, this is Clara’s friend Emma.”

“Hi Emma,” Walker says, waving a dough-covered hand.

Clara comes back into the kitchen, wearing some purple cotton shorts and a black T-shirt, her hair down. “Emma! You found it,” she says, squeezing the taller girl around the waist.

“I think I vomited in your neighbor’s yard last spring. I know my way around,” she laughs.

Clara laughs along. “Did you meet a few of the guys? Jansen and Walker.” She motions to each of us before noticing the tray of dough on the island. “Walker, what are you making?”

I jump in before he can answer. “He’s making the world’s best cookies. Don’t distract him.”

Walker rolls his eyes. “I can make these things blindfolded, Jansen. They’ll be good no matter what.”

Emma shoots Clara some secret girl smile before answering. “I met them both. Are we all having a movie night together? Or are we just stealing cookies?”

“All together,” Clara clarifies. “Should we go make a shortlist and then we can vote once the cookies and popcorn are done?”

Emma tucks her arm through Clara’s. “That sounds like an excellent plan,” she says, both of them leaving the kitchen.

I grab the last bag of popcorn from the microwave but stay in the kitchen with Walker, waiting for the first batch of cookies to come out of the oven. “Emma seems happy to be here,” he says.

“We’re nice guys. You make cookies. What’s not to like?”

---