Page 120 of Just This Once

And just as I was leaving the shop, Alec called to ask if I could do something to try to cheer up his new roommate.

“You were so good with Xander last night at dinner,” he wheedled. “She actually smiled. I think that was the first time I’ve ever seen her happy.”

Honestly, it had beenhimwho’d made her smile. I wasn’t sure why he thoughtI’ddone anything. But he begged me anyway, so I caved with a pathetic sigh.

I mean, it wasn’t like I didn’t understand her pain. I’d been dumped before. And I hadn’t just been dumped a couple of times. I’d been dumpedeverytime I’d ever dated anyone. So yeah…

“I’ll try,” I told my brother.

“Really?” His surprise made me scowl.

“Of course.” I’d do anything for him. Why was he so stunned?

“Thank you, Hope. God, you have no idea. I’ll owe you one. I swear.”

I scoffed. He would never owe me anything. But I did appreciate the devotion.

So that afternoon, I schemed and enlisted the help of a few people, calling this Operation Forget-His-Ass. After explaining my plan to the girlfriends, all three ladies were totally in.

They arrived at a quarter ’til six with the supplies I’d requested, and we were kicking all the male residents—and non-residents—out the back door five minutes later.

“I don’t see why I have to leave my own damn house,” Keene whined as he followed Hudson, who was mouthing to Faith to tell him everything that happened tonight. “I pay fucking rent here.”

“Oh my God, just go,” Damien told him, pushing him along, while Alec met my gaze and smiled.

“Thank you so much. You’re the best. I?—”

“Yeah, yeah,” I told him with a grumble that morphed into an eye-rolling smile. “You still gotta go too.” I playfully shoved him out behind the rest before shutting the door and resting my back against it.

Once it was closed, I heaved out a long breath, then lifted my gaze to everyone left in the room.

Raina shook her fists in excitement and squeaked, “This is going to be so much fun.”

“Shh,” Faith warned, nudging her arm and casting a glance toward the opening of the kitchen that led into the living room, where Xander was still camped out on the couch, watchingHope Floats.

Raina winced. “Sorry.” Then she turned back to me and whispered, “This is going to be so much fun!”

I laughed and pushed away from the door. “Okay. What do we have to work with?”

With conspiring grins, Oaklynn, Faith, and Raina rushed to the table where they had boxes and bags of things they’d collected.

Dumping them out, they immediately began to marvel over the supplies the other two had brought.

“Facial masks,” Raina exclaimed, picking them up as she bumped her arm into Faith’s. “Genius. I could only think of fingernail polish and makeup.”

“I raided Alec and Keene’s room for all their candy,” Oaklynn reported, showing off a pile of Twizzlers, gummy worms, candy bars, and Sour Patch Kids.

“Sweet,” I said in approval as I gazed over the loot. “What about accessories?”

“Sorry. Most of my stuff is boxed up at home in Plano.” Oaklynn lifted a long string of pearls. “But I found these.”

“That’ll work,” I answered with a nod.

“I had these and these.” Raina showed us a cowboy hat and boots.

“Ooh. I’ll wear those, thank you.” Faith promptly took them off Raina’s hands and in return asked, “You want any of this?”

Raina scanned over a pair of shades, huge hoop earrings, high heels, a black bow tie, and a silver tiara that saidtwenty-one birthday kingwith a matching sash.

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