Page 57 of The One I Love
Chapter 17
Amelia
I don’t knowthe last time I laughed this much. Not even the other night when I almost peed myself at Oliver’s when we were digging at Simon. I knew I needed a night out, but I really didn’t realize how much I needed time like this.
Luke and Mariah got Wes’s kids an hour ago and are set up for the night at his house. The guys are across the bar playing pool. Which leaves me, Betsy, and Izzy to sit here and girl talk. And of course, stare at our men. Well, our men and Simon.
“Who was the first to lose their virginity?”
This question comes from Betsy. This is what we’ve been doing for the past twenty minutes, playing a game of “guess who” about the guys. Since I know the answer to most of the questions, I’ve served as keeper of the answers. But some have been hypothetical. Those ones are the funniest.
“I’m going to guess Simon,” Betsy says.
“Nah,” Izzy says. “Shane.”
“Betsy is correct,” I say.
“Damnit,” Izzy says as she takes a drink. “I wanted to guess Simon, but it felt too easy.”
I laugh. “Funny, that’s what we said about the girl he lost it to.”
I’m not one to bash other women, but when that woman is Christina Leaftree, the rules don’t apply. There isn’t a man in Rolling Hill she hasn’t tried to sleep with. Most of them she did—including my ex-husband while we were married.
“Okay, which one is the most likely to say thank you after sex?”
“Easy. Oliver,” I say. “And I’d also like to go back on record that sex questions make me feel weird since these are basically my brothers.”
Izzy raises her hand to speak, which makes me laugh. This woman is hilarious. “One, Oliver doesn’t say thank you. Then again, we’ve slept together twice and both of us were drunk so he might have.” Izzy says. “Two, you might say they are your brothers, but I think that’s bullcrap. Because you don’t stare at your brothers like you want to lick them.”
“Psh.” I wave her off. “I’m not staring.”
“Amelia, I realize I’ve known you for two hours, but my girl, you are not sly.”
“And neither is Shane.”
My eyes go wide as I look up at the two women sitting across from me. “What are you talking about?”
Each of them covers one of my hands with theirs. “Amelia, we can play this one of two ways,” Betsy says. “The first way is you can tell us under the Cone of Sisterhood Silence. Nothing leaves this table.”
“Or two,” Izzy continues, “we sit here and ignore the elephant in the room that is Shane sending you fuck-me eyes all night. I mean, the guys are oblivious, and we can pretend to be, if that’s what you desire.”
I look over to Shane again, who is proving their point by also looking at me. We share a smile, and I now realize whatBetsy and Izzy are talking about. We’re shit at this. I know more than once tonight I saw Shane staring at me. I know because I was staring at him too. I also have an overwhelming urge to tell him to sneak off with me so I can kiss him. Because kissing Shane Cunningham is quickly becoming my favorite hobby.
“Fine,” I say. “But this has to stay here. No one knows. Well, Kendra knows because she’s my work wife, but that’s it.”
“One, how am I just learning you have a work wife? I feel like I need to meet her,” Betsy says. “And two, it absolutely stays here. Based on our previous conversation, I know you don’t want to put me, and now Izzy, in a weird space with the guys. And I appreciate that. But, even though I’m stupid in love, I will forever be chicks over dicks.”
“Same,” Izzy says. “Well, I’m not in love. But I am married to one of them. That sounds bad doesn’t it?”
I appreciate the moment of levity. “Thanks. Yes. Shane and I are together. But it’s a secret. We want some time where it’s just us, you know?”
Betsy nods. “You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.”
“Thanks,” I say. “It’s early, but it’s good.”
“By the look on your face, it’s damn good.”
I shake my head at Izzy. “It’s not like that. Yet.”
