Page 15 of Play Pretend

BRYNNE:

Way to throw me under the bus, you dick.

THEO:

Don’t call my sweet little sister a dick, Red.

BRYNNE:

You’re a dick, too.

THEO:

I’m getting my dick wet tonight.

BRYNNE:

PIG!

TRIN:

MY EYES!!!

MY EYES ARE BURNING!!!

I chuckled and locked my phone, slipping it back into my pocket. All I really wanted to do was take a scorching hot shower and climb into bed and pass out for a few hours. But I needed to grab my mail and start reading a book Trinity had been bugging me about.

It was her goal to have a book club, but so far, Brynne and I were the only members. So, I’d suffered through a million romance novels just to make her happy, and I knew I’d suffer through a million more.

The cool, humid air clung to my skin as I stepped outside, causing goosebumps to ripple down my arms. It was mostly dark, but the faint blues and purples of twilight illuminated the sky. A golden light from the street spotlighted the mailbox as I headed that way.

The stairs creaked, and when my foot hit the leaf-covered ground, a door behind me opened. “You’re kidding,” Willow breathed. I glanced over my shoulder at her, and my stomach somersaulted as I took her in. She was wearing a fluffy white bathrobe, and her dark wavy hair was piled high on her head in a messy bun. A green mask was smeared across her face, the color almost matching her wide eyes. I would’ve laughed if she didn’t look so mortified.

She hesitated, like she wanted to bolt back inside. “What are you doing?” I asked, and her throat bobbed as she swallowed.

“I forgot I had a package delivered today.” She threw her arm in the direction of our shared mailboxes.

“I can grab it for you,” I offered. “I’m heading there now.” Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she shook her head.

“I’ve got it.”

I wasn’t sure if waiting for her was the right thing to do or not, but it was too late. I was helpless to do anything but watch as she shut her door.

Willow’s single.

Trinity’s words from yesterday came tumbling back, slamming into me like a semi. God, I needed to get it out of my head. But it had taken root, and it wasn’t going anywhere.

My palms were sweaty in my pockets as I shifted my gaze to the ground, and my heart leapt into my throat as she fell into step beside me. Leaves, rocks, and twigs crunched under our feet as we strolled across the expanse of our yard toward the street. Silence filled the space between us, awkward and uncomfortable. I struggled to find something to say,anything, but nothing came to mind.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. I had a lot of things rushing through my mind, but I couldn’t say any of them. Because the thing I kept coming back to was Trinity’s voice in my ear telling me to ask Willow on a date.

“Your trash cans are still out,” Willow said, the silence shattering. I blinked, glancing at the bins as we passed.

“So are yours,” I shot back, and she rolled her eyes. “And they still smell.”

“Not as bad as yours.” She huffed out a breath and quickened her pace. I couldn’t help the low chuckle that left me, and it seemed to catch her off guard because her footsteps faltered. She glanced back at me, her mask-covered eyebrows quirking up on her forehead.

Our eyes met in the dimming light, and my breath caught in my lungs.Just ask her out,my mind screamed at me,but the words never came. They were lost somewhere in my throat, and as she stared at me, even with that shit on her face, I still thought she was?—

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