Page 31 of Treat

“Don’t you think not solving world hunger just to keep my job is a little selfish?”

“It would be,” Amy agreed, “if his dick was capable of working such magic. But that’s a fantasy. In the real world, dick is abundant and of low value andnot worth losing a six-figure job.”

“Low valueis kind of harsh,” Brynn grumbled.

“But accurate,” Amy countered. “I’m sending you money, and you’re getting a hotel.”

“Will you calm down? Nothing happened.”

“There was Happy Pants,” Amy reminded her.

“And if something does happen,” Brynn continued calmly, staving off a hot flash at the memory. “Well, I’ll jump off that bridge when it’s on fire.”

“An apt metaphor,” Amy muttered.

“Is it so bad to want to see where this goes?” Brynn demanded.

“Bad? No. Foolish? Oh, yeah.”

“I know you’re worried about me,” Brynn began.

“I am worried,” Amy said, then she sighed. “And also a little jealous.”

“Jealous?” Brynn echoed, confused. “Why?”

“Because I can’t remember the last time I did something foolish. It might end in disaster—hell, who are we kidding? It’s definitely going to end in disaster?—”

“Your confidence in me is overwhelming,” Brynn said drily.

“—but at least you’re going after what you want.”

Brynn paused, wondering if she should say it out loud, then figured, what the hell. “Amy, why don’t you just go find Isaac and jump his bones?”

Amy’s answering laugh was sharp and brittle. “Because he’s engaged.”

Brynn shot up off the couch, nearly upending the popcorn bowl and sending Tilly scrambling. “When the hell did this happen?”

“Well, maybe not engaged,” Amy amended. “But your mom said his girlfriend wants him to go back to Virginia with him to meet her parents over Christmas.”

Brynn moved the popcorn to higher ground. “Are you talking about Brittney?”

“She prefers ‘Britty’!” Amy chirped with palpable sarcasm.

“My brother is not engaged to Brittney.” She hoped. “Mom would’ve told me.”

“Well, he’s dating her, anyway. I saw them at the market last week buying a bottle of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Wine and mint-flavored Oreos.”

Brynn wrinkled her nose. “Ew.”

“I know. I wanted to make a snarky comment, but there were so many to choose from they were gone before I could pick one.”

“He’s not serious about her, Ames. You know that, right?”

“He’s never serious. That’s just one of the reasons telling him how I feel is not an option.”

“So you’re just going to pine forever?”

“I’m not pining,” Amy protested. “I’m getting my Ph.D., I’m teaching classes at two colleges. And one day, hopefully very soon, I will fall out of love with Isaac Cates.”

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