Page 21 of Dating After the End of the World
“Yeah, Blake! That guy needs to go,” Greg scoffs.
Elaine gives a stern look. “Be nice,” she says, whisking the eggs into an airy golden liquid.
“I’m trying, Elaine.” He bites an apple slice in half. “I’m just so sick of him. All he ever does is yell at me.”
“For good reason.” JJ briefly glances at his younger brother.
I hate to admit it, but JJ’s right, and the only reason I hate to admit it is because that means Blake’s right too.
Greg tapers his eyes. “Oh, you’re taking his side. I thought we were brothers, bro.”
“There are no sides. You were being reckless, so all I’m saying is that Blake had good reason to yell at you.” JJ drops his spoon into his bowl, the metal clanging against the ceramic. He leans back in his chair, meeting Greg’s hardened gaze.
“Reckless? I was keeping this compound safe.”
Tessa and I share an amused look. These two haven’t changed a bit, still at each other’s throats even as adults. It’s mostly because their personalities are so different. JJ’s always been a quiet, no-nonsense type of guy. Greg, on the other hand, is aloof and loud, the consummate class clown. The one thing they do have in common, though, is that there isn’t a mean bone in either of their bodies.
“I think we were all safe from the zombie ensnared in the barbwire fence. But what we weren’t safe from was you wildly shooting at it,” JJ says.
“Oh, I didn’t realize therewasa right way to kill a zombie, Mr. Expert.” Greg’s tone drips with sarcasm.
“You didn’t kill it, though. Blake did. You wasted ammo and most likely attracted more of them our way.” JJ pushes out his chair and stands, collecting his dish and bringing it to the sink.
The front door opens and closes, and in walks a woman I don’t recognize, dressed in matching lululemon, complete with leggings and a cropped zip-up hoodie. She’s young, maybe early twenties, sporting a full face of makeup and long, wavy red hair.
“Babe, are you okay?” she asks, and I’m not sure who she’s talking to, because no one immediately acknowledges her.
“I’m fine, Molly,” Greg huffs.
Molly leans over the back of his chair and wraps her arms around him, nuzzling his neck as she makes cooing noises, like a puppy burrowing its face in a bowl of food. “Are you sure? I heard what happened. I can’t believe how brave you were, taking on that zombie all by yourself.”
Tessa stifles a laugh by chewing on her last slice of apple, playing off the noises from her throat as though she’s slightly choking.
“There’s no one else in the world I’d rather spend the end of the world with than you, Pookie.” Molly plants several kisses on his cheek.
He twists and pulls away from her. Whatever this is, Greg’s clearly not into it.
Confused, I glance over my shoulder at Elaine and JJ.
JJ chuckles, shaking his head and drying his hands on his pants.
Elaine pours the bowl of eggs into the frying pan and grins. “Greg,” she says, “why don’t you introduce Molly and Casey to one another?”
The girl stands up straight and turns to me with a raised brow. “Who’s Casey?”
“That would be me,” I say, partially lifting a hand like I’m in a classroom.
Molly furrows her brows and presses her pouty lips together, giving me a once-over.
“I’m Greg’s cousin,” I add.
In a nanosecond, her face changes from a look of suspicion to one of amazement.
“Oh my God!” she squeals, racing to me. “It’s so great to meet you. I’m Greg’s girlfriend, Molly.” I extend a hand to greet her, but she flicks it away without even looking at it and hugs me instead, pinning myarms at my sides and smushing her cheek against mine. “That basically makes us cousins-in-law,” she adds.
“Oh, congrats. I didn’t realize you two were engaged,” I say with very little enthusiasm. I’m worried if I show too much of it, she’ll squeeze me even tighter and end my life before a biter or burner can. “When did that happen?”
Tessa struggles to contain her laughter at the kitchen table. She pretends to choke even harder, waving away people who show her any concern. “Wrong tube,” she wheezes out.
