Page 56 of Half Baked

I snorted. “First of all, we’re not middle schoolers. Second, that’s not fair to Noah. And third, we’re too tipsy to drive.”

“We can take an Uber or call Sir Lancelot.”

“Sir Lancelot?” That was a new nickname. “What happened between you two on New Year’s Eve, anyway? You were so into each other, and then suddenly you didn’t want anything to do with him.”

She held her wine glass in salute. “None-ya.”

“Come on, Mal. I tell you everything about Noah. You owe me.”

She pursed her lips for a few seconds then said, “Let’s just say we have a difference of opinion.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What does that mean?”

She started to say something, then stopped and downed the rest of her wine. Giving her head a shake, she said, “He’s end game, Mads.”

I tilted my head. “What?”

“He’s the real deal. Like forever.”

“And he’s not interested in you?” I asked in confusion because I hadn’t gotten that impression at all.

“Oh, no. He’s interested. He’s made it very clear that he thinks we’re end game too.”

“So what’s the problem?”

She leaned forward, her eyes wide. “I’m not ready for forever!”

I laughed and shook my head. “Oh, Mal. Sometimes you’re your own worst enemy.”

“He said he’d wait for me to change my mind, Mads! Who does that?”

I grinned. “A guy who knows what he wants and is patient enough to wait for it.”

“He barely knows me!”

“You’ve known Noah the same amount of time but thinkhe’sthe one,” I countered.

She started to protest, then refilled her wine glass. “I’m scared. I’ve never felt what I feel with him. What if he—”

“Changes his mind?”

Her eyes turned glassy. “Hurts me.”

“He probably will at some point,” I said, reaching over and squeezing her hand. “It’s inevitable, but I also know that Lance is the kind of guy who will make things right when he screws up.”

She rubbed the bottom of her nose with the back of her hand. “Yeah, well, that’s all hypothetical.” Her back straightened and an evil smile lit up her face. “But it’s a known fact that Noah’s been an ass. If I ask Lance to take us to Noah’s to TP his house, he’ll do it.”

“No TPing,” I said, shaking my head with a grin. “With my luck, Laura would look out the window and see me. Then I’ll be a vandal on top of being dangerous.”

“She’s ridiculous. That man was almost killed two days ago, and it didn’t have a damn thing to do with you. He’s got it covered all on his own.”

My blood turned cold at the reminder of how close he’d come to getting seriously hurt or killed. She was right, of course. Still, it hurt that Laura Langley considered me a threat.

“Well. TPing isn’t vandalism, if you ask me,” Mallory continued, her words slightly slurred. “And if we were in Memphis, I’d TP Lying Laura’s house in a heartbeat.”

“Noah’s dad would probably shoot you dead,” I said. “So that’s not a good idea either.” I lifted my chin. “We’ll take the high road.”

She started to counter when my phone, which was lying in the middle of the bed, face up, started to ring. Noah’s name appeared on the screen.

---