Page 37 of Revved up & Ready

When Devon gets the phone, she stares at the screen for a while, then starts scrolling up. The joint makes its way to me, and I take a hit just as she asks, “Why are you writing him back?”

He’s probably texted me at least three or four times a week since I moved out. I used to write back every time. Now, I’ve cut it down to about once a week.I’m proud of that.“Actually,” she continues before I can respond, “why haven’t you blocked him?”

Could I do that?

She answers my unasked question. “You do not owe him anything. He doesn’t deserve to insert himself in your life like this.”

If I block him, how will he know Cam and I aredating? How will I know if it’s working?Of course, I can’t tell my friends any of that, so I say, “I’ve never blocked someone before.”

“Never?” Allie asks.

“Nope.” I shake my head. “Who have you blocked?”

“I block people all the time,” Devon says, her perfectly styled blonde hair settling around her shoulders as she tilts her chin up. “Anyone who does not deserve to contact me.”

“Guys I used to date,” Allie adds, and Bea nods in agreement.

“That explains it then,” I shrug. “Jared’s the only person I’ve dated in the last decade.”

“Ishe though?” Allie asks, turning the conversation back to Cam.

Something true. Say something true.Technically, I dated a few other people in college before I met Jared. “He’s not,” I say, “but I’m going to have the munchies in about twenty minutes, so I need to order dinner right now.”

Allie begrudgingly agrees to wait for the story until after dinner is handled. But the second I’m done ordering the Thai food and we all hit the couch, she’s back at it.

“So, what the actual hell is going on between you and Cam?” she asks, pulling a blanket from the basket by the couch. “And why haven’t I heard every single detail yet?”

I’m being ridiculousnow. I have to tell her Cam and I are dating. I have to tell all of them. I have to do it.

“She’s allowed some secrets,” Devon comments dryly.

“Oh, please,” Bea laughs, amused. “You’re just as indignant that Sadie hasn’t let you in on her current cohabitation situation as Allie is.”

Cam’s advice echoes in my mind:Tell the truth.

“He’s gorgeous,” I rush out.Oh, my word, Sadie. It doesn’t have to be thefirsttrue thing that comes to mind.

Bea is far less invested in whatever’s happening between Cam and me than the others, so when she asks, “Is it just a physical thing?” it’s with genuine curiosity.

“No, definitely not a physical thing.”That’s true. But is it too true?“I mean, it’s notjustphysical.” My cheeks flush at the thought of Cam’s sensual non-kiss.

“Yeah?” Allie snickers. “You getting your cookies eaten all the time?”

Actually, no one’s evereaten my cookies, but I can’t admit that. The shame I feel because Jared never wanted to has always been enough to keep it to myself.But if I said it now, they’d assume Cam won’t. And I just can’t imagine Cam being the kind of man who wouldn’t—

“If it isn’t just physical,” Devon asks, ignoring Allie’s invasive question, “Does that mean youaredating him?”

Yes. The answer is yes. This whole scheme with Cam only works if I say yes. Right now. Yes.

“Mmhmm,” I nod.Chicken.

“Yay!” Allie squeals, waking Spaghetti and Dandy, who had just settled down. Both dogs wag their tails excitedly, coming over to the couch. Betty, on the other hand, continues to snore against Devon’s foot, which she found again the second we moved inside. “I love it when my friends become friends, but this is next-level dream come true. I secretly hoped this would happen.”

“You were not secret about it,” Devon says in her usual deadpan tone.

“No one told me,” I say.

“Wanted you to get there on your own,” Allie says, grinning and throwing herself across Bea’s lap to give me a tight hug.

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