Page 96 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

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“I thought we were friends.”

I drag my eyes from the documents in front of me, looking at my best friend. She’s leaning over the front counter of Making Waves, mindlessly drawing circles on the countertop.

“We are?”

“Yeah? Then why didn’t you tell me you and Dean had sex?”

“W-What?” I sputter. “How did you know?”

“I didn’t, but now I do.” She beams, clapping her hands together and bouncing up and down. “Oh mygosh. I knew this day would come!”

I huff. “You suck, you know that?”

“I’m aware.”

“How did you know?”

She lifts a slender shoulder. “A best friend just knows these things. Plus, you have thatI just got fuckedglow about you. Man, I miss that glow.”

She sighs longingly, and I’m sure she’s thinking about the recent crumbling of her marriage to Sam’s dad.

She shakes her head. “But never mind that. I havesomany questions. When did it happen? How did it happen? Are you guys dating now? When are you getting married?”

“Settle down, you freak.”

“I can’t!” She squeals. “I’m just so excited for you.Finally!” More clapping. “I’ve waited so long for you two to wake up and realize you have feelings for each other.”

“Feelings? Oh, no. There are no feelings.”

She stops bouncing and pins me with those startling gray eyes of hers. “Are you seriously still denying it?”

“No, because there’s nothing to deny. I donothave feelings for Dean.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

“You.” When she doesn’t stop staring like she’s going to come over the counter at me, I stack the financial documents I was combing through, slip them back into their rightful folder, and toss it onto the counter. I rest my head on one hand. “What do you want to know?”

She mirrors my position. “You’re not dating?”

“No.”

“But you are sleeping together?”

“Yes.”

“How many times have you had sex?”

“Four…and a half.”

She gasps, excitement in her eyes. “When?”

“It started two nights ago.”

“And?”

I know what she’s asking even without her saying it.

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