Page 89 of Down & Dirty

Her head whipped back to me. “Hey. We don’t joke about food.”

“Take it back.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, assessing how serious I was. But then she glanced up at the name of the restaurant I’d stopped in front of. El Rayo Taqueria.

“Shit,” she muttered under her breath.

“Table for two inside, but we can just head home if that’s better?—”

“Fine. I take it back. You’re both super manly and scary and tough.” She huffed, ripping her hand from mine as I started to laugh.

“They have great carnitas. It’ll make everything better.” I opened the door for her and she streaked by me, glaring with equal parts hunger and irritation. I liked her when she was feisty like this.

I liked her all the time.

CHAPTER 29

SKYLAR

Elle: How’s it going? Still on your honeymoon? You kill each other yet?

Sky: Not yet. It’s been kind of amazing actually.

Elle: Oooh, I knew it! Tell me everything.

Sky: He’s been sweet and caring. We’re driving home from a hockey game and dinner and earlier he ran me a bath and left me alone.

Elle: Shut up. That sounds like heaven. Did you two do the naked dance yet?

Sky: No.

Elle: And . . . ? Don’t hold out on me, woman.

Sky: We might. Things are . . . good.

Elle: “Good” is a shitty use of your extensive vocabulary.

Sky: I’ve got go, we’re almosthome.

Elle: No, no, no, tell me more. I need to live vicariously through you!

Sky: Love you, bye!

“What’s that grin for?” Cory asked me as he put the car in park in front of his dad’s house.

I shoved my phone back in my purse. “Nothing. What does ‘drafty’ mean?”

I’d noted the nickname when Grady used it earlier, but couldn’t piece together what it might mean.

Cory smiled fondly. “I was always fast on the bikes, so I used to tell people it was cause of the wind I kicked up.”

I paused on the top step, savoring his easy energy in the yellow porch light. “But the real story?”

His chin dipped bashfully. “But I was slow everywhere else. Grady used to say I ran like a draft horse. So...”

“Drafty.”

“Yeah. He’s pretty much the only one who still calls me that. I’m sure you’ll hear it again tomorrow.”

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