Teddy claps his hands. “Ok new plan. We’re calling in reinforcements, watching anime and crafting a text message that will hopefully lay the groundwork that will get Alana to forgive you.”
“You’re too stupid to do this on your own.” Lukas scrubs his face, then there’s a shift in him like there’s something he wants to say but has been avoiding. “You’re already having a bad day, and I think I might make it worse, but there’s something you need to know.” I don’t like the dread he has lacing every word.
“What?” I bite at him.
Lukas sighs. “Waverly and Alana are friends. Like really close friends.”
“So?” Then all the gears click together, and I grab the pillow again and scream. “Are you telling me, in the past two years, I slept with her Russian Mob friend and was solicited to have a threesome with her friend?”
“Which you turned down. That’s an important detail you have to remember,” Lukas adds.
“And I hit on that Italian guy with the dog.”
“You hit on Joey?” Teddy smirks. “I would’ve paid to see that.”
“Only to prove I wasn’t hitting on… aw shit, is Joey’s girlfriend friends with Alana?”
Lukas frowns and he dips his head. “Yeah, man.”
Fuck my life.
Teddy is already taking out his phone and typing away. “Okay, time to call reinforcements and watch a zany cartoon about a pirate with rubber arms.”
Double fuck my life.
CHAPTER 30
Alana
Day 9
Last night we went to Amanda’s house after the puppy party, since my apartment has been compromised and her place has the best security. We kept drinking well into the early hours of the morning. Now it’s 9 a.m. and Izzy is in the kitchen making coffee. She’s the only one not hungover. She’s also the one who was responsible for our phones and made sure no one posted anything career-ending on the internet last night.
The girls are all in Amanda’s living room. Jenny is playing on her phone in the corner. Waverly is still sleeping in an armchair. Katya is still very drunk and keeps playing with her fingers while staring at the ceiling.
But it’s seeing Amanda and Lena laying on each other on the couch, like two cogs fitting together after being separated for years and finally aligning back up, that makes my heart happy.
Craig comes downstairs and looks at the women all over the floor. “Did anyone bring shame to their families last night?”
“Not that will pop up on the internet.” I grab the coffee pot and pour myself a cup. “You can thank Izzy for that.”
He smiles at me, then his eyes drift over to Amanda. “Did she have fun?”
“I think so.” She's wrapped in a blanket with her head on Lena’s lap. “They’re talking about summer concerts, and since their dates match from time to time, maybe they could do surprise live feeds to each other’s shows.”
“Could you imagine?” Craig pours himself a cup of coffee and brings it to his lips. “The internet would be ruined for the rest of time. Lena and Amanda, let the healing begin.”
I like that. There are so few people who truly understand what either of them are going through at any given moment. I hated that Lena chose me over Amanda. It’s not my world, and I could never support her the way she needed.
“So, why did you do it?” I ask him while leaning against Amanda’s kitchen counter. “You set this all up. Why?”
He looks over at his sleeping girlfriend, and a wistful smile appears on his lips. “I want to marry her.”
“I’d hope so, you’ve been engaged for two years.” I take a long sip of the hot coffee.
He swishes his head from side to side. “Yeah, but she wanted bridesmaids who were her friends, not people who used her for clout or fame. And you were the only one who didn’t. You and Lena.” He doesn’t shift his gaze off her.
Hmm. There’s a warm glow inside my chest, and I don’t think it’s any lingering effects of the alcohol. “Well, game respects game.” I lift my coffee mug toward him, but he gives me a sideways glance.
