Page 54 of Make No Mistake

“Thank you!” I continued waving my fingers in the air in a vain attempt to dry them faster.

He mimicked me and laughed. “You’re welcome. Are you trying to fly?”

I stuck out my tongue which he of course mimicked. “I’m drying my nails.”

“Of course.” He sat next to me on the couch and looked around. “Where’s Aubrey?”

“In her room. She must not have heard you come in.”

“Perfect. Are you still free this weekend?”

“Yeah. Saturday morning would probably be best since she has rehearsals until one. She won’t even notice.”

Jay’s attention broke from the game and he looked at each of us. “Is there something going on here?”

Carter smirked draped his arm over my shoulder. “Just an illicit affair. Nothing to worry about.” His wink at me hit the final nail in his coffin.

Jay looked at me with a mixture of confusion and laughter. I shoved Carter’s arm away and cringed at that thought. “You’re basically my brother. That’s so gross.”

“Not yet.”

Jay’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re …”

Carter nodded.

Jay swore under his breath, making us all laugh. He was not the type to swear, let alone in front of me.

“Congrats, man. That’s awesome.”

Carter thanked him then looked back at me. “I’ll pick you up at nine so we have time to hit a few stores and get back here before she notices.”

“Sounds good.”

“Oh that smells delicious!” Aubrey walked out of her room with her still wet hair twisted into a tight bun.

Carter leaned toward her and shared a quick kiss before placing the bags on the coffee table in front of us and spreading out the goods. Aubrey watched each of us claim our burger before reaching for her sad bundle of lettuce.

Carter was mid-bite when he noticed hers. “Why’d you get that?”

She pulled off a chunk of lettuce to reveal the beef. “The show is two weeks away. I can’t eat that much greasy food.”

“Why?”

I laughed at the question. Six years and he still didn’t get her lifestyle.

“Because I need to fill my body with only good things right now. I need to have energy without feeling bloated or weighed down. Plus, leotards aren’t forgiving.”

“You’re absolutely perfect, Aubrey.”

“Thank you, babe.”

He was right. She did everything she could to keep her body healthy and in peak shape. She wasn’t prima ballerina skinny, but she was thin and muscular. I admired her dedication, but not enough to give up a yummy cheeseburger when the opportunity presented itself.

When we were done, the guys continued watching the game while Aubrey and I took turns painting each other’s toenails. I made a mental note to make sure her nails stayed painted until Carter proposed. I wanted her to be as prepared as possible without telling her anything that would give it away.

Finally, the game ended and the guys returned their attention to us. We probably could have painted their toes, too, and they wouldn’t have noticed.

“I’m heading out. I’ll see you tomorrow?” Jay stood over me and offered both hands. When I reached for them, he lifted me up and pulled me into a bear hug.