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I turn to face him. “I’m not sure if I can believe that. You don’t know Bobbi like I do.”

“True. He told me about the trash incident. I had no idea his homelife was horrible like that.”

“Most people going through shit hide it well.”

“Like you do?”

I wince. “Everyone has secrets, Keanu. I’m sure you have them too.”

He swallows hard, clenching his jaw. It seems I hit a nerve.

“Anyway, Bobbi just needs time. He’ll come around.”

“In case you failed to notice, time is against us.”

“Where is your optimism?” He gives me a small smile. “You were always a ‘glass half full’ kind of girl.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “I’m trying to stay positive, but…”

Keanu takes my hand and spins me around. “Hey, turn that frown upside down. Don’t forget, you get to see me wear a damn uncomfortable dress and shoes to match.”

I’m still sad about Bobbi, but I let Keanu’s words warm my heart. Even depressed, I force a smile. “Let’s get you all dolled up, then. If I’m going to be your girlfriend, I want all those handsy patrons to eat their hearts out.”

Keanu grins from ear to ear. “Oh, they would eat their hearts out even if you were wearing a trash bag.”

He hasn’t made it a secret that he finds me attractive, but the compliment feels different this time. Maybe it’s the way he’s looking at me, or the radioactive butterflies that have awakened in my belly. Even though I’m staring at myself, all I see is Keanu.

KEANU

I thought Leigh would be relieved that her best friend knows about our secret, but she can’t hide the sadness in her gaze from me. She tried to put on a brave face, but she’s wearing mine, and I know what I look like when I’m not happy.

She rubs her chin. “I wish I had time to shave.”

“You’d probably end up with several cuts.”

She throws me a glare, but it’s not as intense as I’m used to receiving from her. “You don’t think I know how to shave?”

“Your coochie, sure.”

Her jaw drops. “I don’t shave my coochie. It’s waxed, thank you very much.”

I can’t help the bubble of laughter that goes up my throat. “Same difference.”

She watches me through slits. “Big difference. You must have not gone down on many women.”

Now it’s my turn to look at her with my mouth agape. “I’ve eaten plenty of pussy, thank you very much.”

Her cheeks turn bright red.

“Oh my God. You’re blushing.”

She looks away. “I’m not!”

I laugh. “You totally are. We can’t have that. I don’t blush left and right, so you can’t either.”

“As long as no one makes inappropriate comments about women’s body parts, I won’t.”

“Ha! So you do admit you were blushing all because I said ‘pussy.’” I shake my head. “Man, you are such a prude, Leigh.”