Page 38 of How to Lose at Love

Big mistake.

Huge.

I don’t bother pasting on a smile, don’t bother with pleasantries—I already know what these three chicks want.

Leaning against the doorjamb, I cross my arms. “Hey.”

“Oh!” The blonde who lives next door has a big smile on her face, eyes wide with surprise. Not sure if it’s because she wasn’t expecting it to be me opening the door or because she was hoping it would be. “Dallas, hi.”

“Hi.”

We’ve never been formally introduced—I have no clue what her name is or what any of their names are—but they definitely know me and my brothers.

Almost positive Drake fucked one of them the first week we moved in.

Anyway, it’s cold as hell tonight and these three are dressed like they’re going to a dance club. Maybe they are, but dang. You wouldn’t catch me standing on someone’s porch not wearing a jacket.

The brunette shivers and gives the blonde a jab.

“Are the twins around?”

“No.”

If they’re frustrated by my lack of enthusiasm, the other blonde certainly shows it, mouth opening and closing a few times to say something but thinking better of it. Or not actually having much of anything to say?

“Are you expecting them back anytime soon?” The blonde cranes her neck to see behind me, as if the twins are hiding and I’m lying about them being home. Or perhaps she’s trying to see if I have a visitor?

“No idea.” I squint down at them. “Aren’t you cold?”

They all shiver. “So cold.”

“Why aren’t you wearing coats?” It’s like, thirty degrees.

“They don’t go with our dresses.” Duh.

“That sucks.” If I were a steer, I’d be chewing cud, that’s how bored I am with this conversation. “Anything else?”

I got better things to do, and these three aren’t my type. I like a woman who’s smart enough to wear clothes when it’s cold out, Jesus Christ.

“Can we come in?” One of them is brave enough to ask, the brunette who’s wearing the least amount of clothes of the trio, shaking like a leaf in a metallic gray, spaghetti-strap dress.

“Nope.” I push myself off the doorjamb, rubbing my hands together. Take hold of the door to close it. “Whelp, see y’all around. Maybe go put some sweaters on or somethin’.”

“You’resucha dick!” one of them retorts, her long dangling earrings catching the light from the porch lamp.

“Oh, good comeback.” I grin. “If I’m such a dick, why would you want to come inside?”

I take pleasure in slamming the door.

eight

ryann

“There are two sides to every story, but he’s a douche in both of them.”

– Winnie to Ryann

“I swearI’m not following you.”

---