Page 88 of Lyrical

“What do you meanyour?”

“Perry, I told you about this. I said I found those missing condoms in the basement. I wouldn’t doubt it if she was the one to go into my room and steal them. That doesn’t sound like the kind of whack job we need to ‘keep close.’”

She scrunched up her face. “No, you just told me you found condoms. I assumed you meant in his bedroom or something. And I didn’t know he took them from you. That is just… creepy.”

“They were in the basement stuffed behind the couch like some dumb teenager move, like he was hiding them for next time. It makes no sense. And I know I told you all about it because I was livid.”

“You probably told Chase, not…. Wait, were they by chance in a Kleenex box?”

“Yes. See, I knew I told you.”

“Um, that was me.”

“What was you?”

“God, I’m so sorry, Jills. All this time you were pissed off, and it had nothing to do with Cassie.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Perry.”

She swayed back and forth, her pink and black tunic that would’ve looked ridiculous on me looking adorable on her. She interlaced her fingers, then yanked them apart.

“Remember at Daniel’s coming home party you tricked me into eating that nasty olive?”

“I didn’t trick you. The can was labeled.”

“Well, that jalapeño hiding in there exploded my sinuses, so I had to go blow my nose. I didn’t like the stuff you had in the bathroom, so I got it out of your bedroom. Then I took the box downstairs with me in case I needed it again. This is a really idiotic story. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

“Ah, yes.” Perry went into my room all the time. That didn’t bother me. But I was pretty damn curious why she’d stash rubbers behind my couch.

“I know a hell of a lot about you, Jills, but not that you keep your Trojans tucked in between little blankets. If they get cold, they’ll still work, you know.”

“I keep them loose in the drawer. They get mixed up with things sometimes. Why didn’t you just give them back when you saw them?”

“It was just an all-around insane day, you know? Later on, after all that Cassie shit happened, I was sitting down there with Stephen and your mom’s sweet little old lady friend… um, what’s her name?”

“Anita.”

“Right. So we were down there with Anita, and I had to spit something out discreetly, so I grabbed the box and pulled out another tissue, and I saw one there. I’ll blame it on one of the bottles I was drinking that night—not sure which one, but I think it was laced with acid—because I kinda freaked out thinking sweet little old lady Anita was going to be exposed to something that screamed sex, so I quickly stuffed it behind the couch. Discreetly, of course. Then I completely forgot about it.”

“What did you…?” I shook my head. No, forget it. I had no idea what she’d be in such a rush to spit out, but… yeah, it was a pretty idiotic story. For anyone but Perry.

I suddenly perked up. “So, maybe they’re not having sex after all?”

“Or maybe they are.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “But if so, it’s probably not in your house, and you can’t control a damn thing outside it. Just another reason to let it all go and focus on your future. With Chase.”

“All right. Let’s just get working on what we came to do. Depending on where the electrical runs, we could have the band set up over by that brown shed.”

“We need to take a break.”

“We just started.”

“Chase,” Perry yelled, waving. “Come over here, please.”

“He’s helping Stephen.”

“I’ll change places with him. I think you and Chase should walk over by the wildflowers and scope out all the photo ops.”

“How is that a break? We’re both still doing stuff.”

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