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“What’s wrong with pushing each other?”
“Nothing, but you bet on everything. I mean, if you weren’t brothers, you’d probably bet on who could, you know—” She made a fist and moved it up and down in front of her crotch. “—the most in a day.”
“Brittany!” He jerked to the side. God, he wished he could blink that image away. “Gross.”
“Hey, I said if you weren’t brothers.”
“Yeah, well, the bet with Marcus is the least of my worries.” Jack sighed and let her link their arms again. He kicked at a loose stone and it scuttled to the side of the building and bounced back. He kicked it again. “I bet Harper I could get a date for the formal. Loser has to leave the house.”
“What’s got you down? You can take me.” Brittany pushed her shoulder against his. “That would really be a kick in the balls for him.”
“A guy, Brit. I need to bring a guy. Not you.” Preferably this guy I met in a bookstore….
She laughed. “You’re in trouble then.”
“Gee thanks.” He scowled as he tried to pull his arm free, but she tightened her grip. “Isn’t being supportive part of your job as my ha—” Brittany smacked the back of his head. “—ow!”
“Don’t say it.” She tried to smack him again, but he ducked. “I’m not your hag or anyone else’s.”
“Fine, you’re not my hag.” He rubbed away the sting. “But you don’t need to be so negative.”
“I was teasing. Seriously, why are you worried? Didn’t you meet him last night? And early this morning?”
“Yes, but….”
“And aren’t you meeting him Thursday night?”
“Yes, but….”
“But nothing. You’ve nothing to worry about.” She curled her hand around his and swung it until he turned toward her. When he met her gaze, she winked at him. Despite himself he smiled. “There’s my Jackie.”
“We’ve only had one date so far, and turns out it wasn’t really a date.”
“Please. You act like you need to take a boyfriend. Just find any old boy date.” She made that face that screamed Don’t be a dumbass. “Harper was a fool to bet that you can’t find a date. You don’t have to sleep with them, just get them to come along.”
“Yeah, but….”
“No buts, Jack…. Well, maybe if the butt is hot.” She raised her eyebrows several times.
“No, there is a huge but—problem. If things don’t work out with Ed or he doesn’t want to come to my formal, it’s not like there are that many options. In case you’ve missed it, I’ve gotten something of a bad rap on campus after Kieran. Not only have I turned down a few guys who’ve asked me out, I said no to Evan Ulstead last fall when he asked me to be his date for his formal, just as a friend. It might be harder than you think for me to find someone to go, even if we’re not boyfriends.”
“So you pissed off a few of the gays on campus. Go look on Grindr.”
“Grindr? Do you know what kinda guys are on there?”
“Hey, I may not be a hag, but I do need to keep up on things if I’m going to be your best straight girlfriend.”
There was more to this than she let on, but he let it go. “I’m not… there yet. Let me try the normal way.”
“Pssh. Normal is so overrated.”
Jack’s stomach clenched. She was totally up to something. “Just let me deal with this.”
Brittany didn’t seem to hear him. “I know! You could take my cousin. He’s gay.”
“Your cousin David?” When she nodded, he snorted. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
“What’s wrong with David? You don’t like black men?” The eye roll caused him to scowl.
“You know that’s not true.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Brittany!” He stared at her to be sure she was serious. “No.”
“Why not?”
“He’s got a husband.”
“Jack, I didn’t say you were going to sleep with him, but if you did, you’d better let me know.”
He hissed at her and walked faster. So much for expecting help from her.
“Jack, wait.” She ran up and got in front of him. “I’m serious—well, not about the sleeping with him part. Just bring him as your date.”
“Brittany, he’s thirty-five.”
“So? You don’t think he’s attractive?”
“No… I mean, yeah, he’s hot….”
“Damn strai—gay he is. He probably has a killer body too. Played semipro football. Now he’d be a date that would turn heads.”
She couldn’t be serious. “No.”
“Why not? Don’t want people to think you’re looking for a sugar daddy?”
How did she know all these things? He stopped walking, put his arms on her shoulders, and held her steady. “Just stop. I have no problem with black men or older men, but he’s married.”
“Okay, fine.” She patted him on the back and smirked. “But then you really might end up on a mattress in my room.”
* * *
“You’re gonna mix those whites and colors, aren’t you?” The snark in Brittany’s voice sometimes got too much.
