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“What’s that?”
Shit. Did I say that out loud? “Oh. I was just saying I should shower tonight. Probably shouldn’t sleep in my own filth.”
“Makes sense.”
I look around the room and realize Morgan and Jocelyn left at some point without me even realizing. When I focus my attention back on Payton, I clap my hands together like a complete loser. “Let me walk you up to my room.”
After getting Payton settled in my room, I take a shower that doesn’t help at all. I lay on the couch and think about Payton upstairs in my bed. I wish my relationship with her was like my friendship with Lydia, so it wouldn’t be strange for me to crawl into bed with her and snuggle close. Just the thought of that makes my whole body hum. There’s no way I’m getting any sleep tonight.
***
“Marjorie! Wake up!”
I’m startled awake at the sound of my brother’s voice. Apparently, at some point in my tossing and turning, I actually dozed off. It couldn’t have been for long because I feel like complete shit right now.
I rub my eyes and glare up at my brother. “What time is it?”
He looks at his watch. “It’s ten. You have to be at work at one today, right? Why are you sleeping on the couch?”
“Payton slept over. She’s sleeping in my bed.”
“But you normally just sleep in the same bed with your f—” Marcus cut himself off and a smirk spreads across his face. “Is she your girlfriend? I knew it.”
“She’s not my…” I lower my voice just in case she walks into the room. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
My brother crosses his arms, lifts both eyebrows, and smiles in a way that makes me want to smack him across the face. “But you want her to be.”
“I don’t…” I groan and throw my hand over my face. “I don’t know what I want.” Or who I want…
“Better decide. Here she comes.” My brother laughs and walks away, saying hello to Payton along the way.
I jump to my feet and smooth out my clothes with my hands. Payton’s hair is half in her ponytail, half out, and her clothes are completely disheveled. She is gorgeous. “Hi.” It’s not much, but it’s all I can push out since her appearance has my mouth going dry.
She pushes some of her loose hair behind her ear and looks to the ground. “Good morning.”
“I slept longer than I meant to, but we should still have time to get some food before work. Did you want to shower first? Not that you need a shower. You look amazing. Like, really clean and stuff. I just thought you might want one.”
Wow. Real smooth. I can be surrounded by a huge group of people and have no nerves and never overthink anything I say. I’m around Payton for two minutes and lose all control of everything. No wonder I’m perpetually single. Everyone who has ever told me I could get anyone I want has clearly never seen me in the presence of a pretty girl.
“A shower would be nice, actually. I can make it quick, though.”
“You want to borrow some clothes from me?”
“That would be great. Thank you so much.”
“Of course. I’ll leave them in the bathroom for you.”
I grab jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, and hoodie that I know will look amazing on Payton. I sit them on the bathroom counter along with a towel and washcloth. When Payton passes by me on my way out, she squeezes my arm to say thank you and I swear my heart squeezes at the exact same time.
I head downstairs and turn on the TV to distract myself, but I’m only able to half pay attention. I hear someone walk into the room and turn toward the sound expecting to see Payton.
Instead, it’s Jocelyn. She gives me a shy smile and sits down beside me. She stares over at me for a very long minute before finally speaking. “Could we maybe talk at some point?”
“Of course. I’m free right now.”
Something across the room catches Jocelyn’s eye. “Not right now.” She stands from the couch and walks away before I can respond.
I hear her say hello to someone, and this time when I turn, it is Payton standing there. She points her thumb in the direction of where Jocelyn just walked out of the room. “Is she okay?”
