“Not okay. Spill, or he’ll have to explain to Miles why he hung out with both of his siblings without him all night.”
“Oh my god, Lena, you’re killing me. Please, just go.” More blank stares. I spoke fast. “We hooked up in Miami, and there’s nothing to plan for the stag night other than transportation, which is just him and me getting ride shares for the guys. Okay?” My head tilted, and my eyes were wide. “Now, can you go before he gets here andfreaksthe fuck out!?” I hissed.
Her face stopped moving after I said we had hooked up. I don’t think she even took a breath. “Like made out, or more?”
I rolled my eyes. “More. Happy? Please leave.”
“Youasshole!” She hit me again. “And you didn’t tell me!? What the legit fuck.” She pouted.
“I’m not really into sharing details of my sex life with my little sister,” I said, meeting her in the sass department.
“Gross. You know what I mean.”
I pressed my back into the cushion. “I don’t know. It’s not my business to tell. He’s not gay or out or anything. It’s his stuff to share.”
Lena’s eyes widened, then tensed. “Holy fucking shit, you like him. Like,like-him, like-him.”
My heart beat faster, and I fumbled with my words. “No, I mean,” I chuckled. “I just, I mean, he’s a great guy. I’m just saying he’s a whole ass person, and this is his life, not mine to gossip about with anyone.”
Lena’s smile grew radiant, and she hugged my arm while resting her head on my shoulder. “Oh my god, Ry, youreallylike him. That’s amazing. I love that for you.”
“Lena, seriously,” I said, attempting to shake her loose. “You need to go. Now.”
She ignored both my overtures for her departure and attempts to get her the fuck off me. “You haven’t had anyone in so long. I was starting to think you lost the ability to feel emotions other than snark, anger, and annoyance.”
“I’m feeling at least two of those right now.”
Lena caught my eye. “Seriously, no joke, if it’s real, you should go for it. Heisa great guy, and you two would make each other really happy. You do so much for everyone. You deserve genuine happiness, too.”
“Lena, I…” I huffed, but didn’t have time to finish the thought. The buzzer went off, and my throat closed. “Fucking shit,” I hissed, jumping off the couch.
She stood and gathered her purse, ready to leave. I said, “It’s too late now. He’ll see you walking out the door.”
“Okay, I’ll just say I dropped something off and was leaving. Maybe make a joke about how stupid the stag night is, so he knows you covered for him. But only if you let me know what happens.”
I pressed the button, letting him into the building, ignoring her. Less than a second passed when I let my sister up. Waiting for Finn dragged on.
There wasn't even a knock. I opened it as he approached my door and shoved Lena out. I’d never seen such fear on his face when he saw her. Thankfully, my sister is a good actress.
“Oh, hey, Finn!” She hugged him. “Wish I could stay to hang out for a bit, but I’ve got to go. I can’t believe he has you two planning what’s basically his second bachelor party.” She laughed. “I swear to God, I’ll be nowhere near as much of a Bridezilla when I get married.”
Finn recovered. “I know, but the work of a best man never ends,” he said with a chuckle.
Lena laughed too, hugged me goodbye, and said, “See you, boys, later. Have fun.”
Finn hadn't looked at me yet, but I saw his face pale at her comment as he walked into my apartment. Before I closed the door, Lena shot a look over her shoulder and winked. I rolled my eyes in return.
“What, uh… what was she doing here?” Finn asked.
“She just needed to drop something off from my mom,” I said, willing myself to stay calm. If I wasn’t, there was no way he’d be.
“Oh. Cool.”
We stood in silence at my doorway until I invited him into the living room. I sat next to him on the couch. “So, thanks for coming over. We should get to it.”
“Oh, uh, yeah.”
He was so on guard, so high-strung, it rubbed off on me. I almost didn’t even notice what he was wearing. Sneakers, calf-high white socks, gym shorts that came up to his mid-thigh, a sleeveless tee, and a backward baseball hat. Even freaked out, he was still one of the hottest men I’d ever laid eyes on.
