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“We need to go shopping. Like at a mall. You need real clothes.”
I let out a small laugh as I slipped the shoes on. “Last time I checked, those were real clothes.”
“You know what I mean. You need some more…sparkle, and less doom and gloom.” She wiggled her fingers like she was doing jazz hands.
I paused and quirked a brow. “Did you seriously just use the word sparkle?” My eyes widened. “Oh, let me guess, you were one of those girls that paraded around on stage in a tutu for a pageant?”
Her cheeks heated. “They’re not tutu’s, they’re dresses, and I only did that till I was like…” She paused, thinking. “Twelve. Then I put a stop to it.”
“Do you have any crowns with sparkles?” I giggled. Whoa, I actually giggled. That was new.
She put her hands on her hips. “Stop making fun of me.”
“Alright, alright,” I relinquished, standing up. I smoothed my hands down the front of the dress. “Are you ready to go?”
She nodded. “Yep…oh, and I probably should’ve told you…” She bit down on her bottom lip and gave me a sheepish look.
“Told me what?” My eyes narrowed and my heart pumped faster with fear at her next words.
“My brother will be there.”
Oh, shit.
I schooled my features and stood up straight, feigning that I was unaffected by what she told me.
“Oh…that’ll be…fun?” It came out sounding like a question. Since I hadn’t seen Cade in two weeks, not since the coffee shop incident, I wasn’t sure where we stood. It looked like I was about to find out.
“Yeah, when I told him we were going he wanted to tag along. Jace and Xander are coming too,” she shrugged, “so it won’t be just the three of us.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “No worries. It’s fine.”
“He keeps asking about you,” she whispered, her lashes lowering. “I’m sorry for being nosy, but did something happen between you guys?”
My mouth fell open in surprise. “Absolutely not. I’m not the kind of girl that jumps into bed with every guy that walks by me.”
“Okay,” she said the word slowly, staring at me, “then what is going on? And don’t tell me nothing, because I know there’s something?”
“Honestly?” I shrugged and she nodded. “I don’t know. He knocked me over within my first ten seconds on campus and then there was the pool thing and the coffee thing and…” I trailed off, purposely not telling her about the times he ran with me, because my runs were my thing and for some reason I didn’t want her to know. It was one of the only times I was ever free of my thoughts and I didn’t want to share that with her. “Yeah, that’s about it. He asked me on a date one time and I said no. I don’t want a relationship and he’s your brother. That would be majorly awkward. He’s not my friend…I don’t really know where we stand.”
She eyed me for a moment and let out a soft sigh. “He likes you.”
I shrugged again. “So?”
“My brother doesn’t like many people or trust them. I mean, he’s nice to everyone, but it doesn’t mean he likes them…not in the way he likes you.”
“Cade doesn’t like me in any different way,” I replied easily.
Her expression said ‘yeah right’. “I’ve known my brother a lot longer than you have, and trust me when I say he likes you.” Her face softened. “He’s a nice guy and he deserves to have someone in his life. Someone like you.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I held my hands up in defense. “Get that look out of your eyes right now. I can see you planning our wedding already. I’ve only been around your brother a few times and yes, he’s nice. But he’s also ridiculously cocky and annoying. I don’t want or need a boyfriend. I’m just fine on my own.”
She sighed. “Whatever. But I seriously wouldn’t be mad if you liked him back.”
I buried my face in my hands. “What is this? Elementary school?”
Thea’s eyes lightened and she grinned. “College. Elementary school. Same thing.”
I cracked a smile at that and we finally left.
