Page 16 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

Emily’s gaze flickered to me. “Can we just talk about how much fun could be had if you became the center of a yummy brother sandwich? I mean Craig and his brother are so hot.”

Colleen groaned. “I mention Craig to Astria and your mind goes there?”

Emily shrugged. “What? Sexy twins. Pretty sure every woman has fantasized about it at least once in their life.”

Stevie chuckled. “Might want to keep her far from Craig and Beau. Could get really uncomfortable if she brings that up.”

“Or fun,” said Emily, reminding me that while she looked sweet and innocent, she had a wild side.

Colleen rolled her eyes. “This conversation went right to the gutter.”

“You’re welcome,” said Emily, earning a laugh from Krissy.

I smiled. “Colleen, did Craig say what he wanted?”

“You,” Stevie chimed in from the sidelines.

“Stop,” I said with a shake of my head. “We’re friends. That’s all.”

I’d had a few classes with him our sophomore year and had thought he was nice. It wasn’t until I started working at the bar that he and I got close. He and his friends frequented the bar often while I was working. It didn’t seem to matter that they weren’t old enough to drink and that their fake IDs wouldn’t work there since one of their uncles owned the place. Craig would often stay late, after closing time, and walk me back to the house, being nothing but a gentleman.

Krissy stretched her back and took a small break from arranging her circle of this-could-end-badly. “Astria, he looks for reasons to spend time with you. You get that, right?”

“No, he doesn’t,” I protested. “We hang out a lot because we’re friends.”

She glanced at Stevie. “You’re right. You said she didn’t get why he called her a couple of weeks back to help watch his little brother when he’d done it a million times before without issue.”

I took offense on Craig’s behalf. “His little brother was covered in chicken pox and since I’ve already had them, he thought I might be able to help.”

Stevie licked her lips, clearly suppressing full-blown laughter. “Hon, he’s going to be a doctor. I’m pretty sure he can handle keeping an eye on his little brother while his parents are out of town. He just wanted you at the house while his parents were away. You know, big, huge home, just the two of you since Beau had to go out of town with his parents.”

“It wasn’t just the two of us,” I protested. “Craig’s little brother was there. And no funny business happened. We watched movies together and hung out. It was low-key.”

Krissy locked gazes with Stevie. “She’s hopeless.”

“We’re just friends,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Okay, if you say so,” said Colleen. “You know a lot of girls would be super excited to have one of the stars of the baseball team chasing after them. And you know he’s going into med school next fall. You could land a doctor, Astria.”

I looked to Emily. “Ever think she’s lying about not finding men with dark hair hot?”

Emily smiled. “Yep.”

Colleen loaded up another chip with dip and flashed a smile. “I respect him as an athlete.”

“Is that what kids are calling it today?” asked Krissy, making us all chuckle.

Stevie eyed me. “Didn’t I see you and Craig dancing together last weekend at that party his frat had?”

“Whatever you do, don’t call it a frat in front of him,” I said. “He acts like you said his mother’s pound cake tastes like feet or something. Apparently, you have to say fraternity in its entirety. I find that amusing since I’ve been with him when he’s so drunk, he couldn’t even spell it, let alone say it.”

Stevie glanced at Krissy. “Notice how she avoided answering me about the dancing with him part?”

Krissy snorted. “I did notice.”

Emily nudged me. “Astria, he’s very good-looking.”

“Hot,” corrected Stevie. “The word you’re looking for is hot.”

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