Page 13 of Be My First

Keene: Maggie’s the one who is insisting that we talk about penis size, not me.

Maggie: I don’t think I started that conversation.

Zadie: I missed this, and now I’m really disappointed.

Elizabeth: Oh, did you tell them about that phallic class you took in college? I knew someday that would prove to be useful.

Maggie: Someday? I think about that class all the time.

Declan: I bet you do, Maggie.

Maggie: (smirking emoji)

Declan: Why don’t you come talk phallic symbols with me out in the garden?

Juno: Oh, god, someone make it stop.

Keene: Note to self – avoid the garden for the rest of the day.

Chapter Four

Bode

Ididn’t realize Iwas going to spend the summer wandering around Italy with my best friend and his gorgeous sister looking at naked statues and talking about erotic art. I’m keeping my distance as much as possible - trying to pretend she’s not here. It’s not going well. Yesterday she wore this fucking sundress, cut low in the front and high on her thighs. Why am I torturing myself like this?

When I walk downstairs the next morning, Declan, Ethan, and Kip are standing at the doors overlooking the patio. I walk over to Kip and shake his hand. “Good to see you, man. Did you have a good trip?”

He pulls me in for a hug and then says, “A ten hour flight with twin toddlers. It was super relaxing.”

I laugh. “I can imagine.”

Ethan is leaning on the doorpost, arms crossed. His eyes are glued on something outside. I follow his gaze to see Zadie stretching her arms overhead.

Yoga. The women are all doing yoga together. Of course, my eyes find Juno, wearing the tiniest little exercise outfit, bent over at the waist. I dart my eyes away as quickly as possible.

“It never gets old,” Kip says, watching Brooklyn.

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