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Arden’s coy smile morphed into a snarl. “Wow, poor Murray. You’ve got this sweet, hot, rock star on a string, but you’re clearly still in love with Harris.” She flashed sympathetic eyes in my direction. “I’m sorry you had to see this.”
Before Yael or I could utter a single word, Allie sliced her hands through the air and declared, “Enough!”
“Oh, shit, you’re in trouble, Boo,” I murmured.
But it turned out I didn’t know jack about the dynamics between these women. Allie said the last thing I’d ever expected.
“Arden, babe, I love you, but didn’t we talk about keeping the cuntiness to a minimum this weekend? Don’t make me go bridezilla on your Orange-Theory-toned little ass.” Allie turned to Yael. “And, babe, you can’t believe everything you hear. Arden never touched Harris, and she’s flirting with your man to get your attention and a rise out of you. Do you honestly think I’d still be friends with her if she was a man-poacher? The only thing she’s guilty of is being a grade-A bitch from time to time—but hey, who isn’t?”
I was mad impressed with Allie. I tossed my first couple impressions of her out the window and silently applauded her for taking the situation in hand—andfor her use of ‘cuntiness’ as an adjective. My regrets over coming on this trip were fading fast. No way in hell the fishing boys were taking part in conversations as fascinating as this one.
Yael crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t think she was trying to get a rise out of me last night in the bar when I wasn’t even there. Or just now, when she basically flashed Alex her pussy. Also, don’t think I didn’t notice you complimented Arden’s ass and not mine.”
Allie touched her hand to Yael’s arm. “Your ass is tight and right, no worries.” Then she addressed Arden. “Keep your legs shut tight, tramp.”
Arden rolled her eyes and pushed out her bottom lip. “You’re no fun, Alls. But fine, I’ll be good.”
Allie poked her. “And tell Yael you’ve never seen Harris’s dick.”
Arden sighed. “Fine. I’ve never seen Harris’s dick. I’ve never been interested in Harris’s dick, and I never will be.”
Allie poked her a little harder. “Tell Yael why.”
“I’m gay.” She raised a finger. “One-hundred percent lesbian.”
Yael huffed. “What? You hid that well, girl.”
“Well-honed survival instincts,” Arden answered.
“And…?” Allie prompted her.
Arden let out a pained groan. “And I had a massive crush on you in college, but I wasn’t out, and you scared me too much to ever tell you.”
“I’m not scary,” Yael said.
I laughed along with Allie and Arden. “You are, boo. You’re terrifying.” She’d scared me since the second I met her. She still scared me most days, not because I was intimidated by her, but because I never knew what I’d get with her.
She backhanded my arm. “Shut up. No, I’m not.”
Now that the tension had been broken, Yael, Allie, and Arden started reminiscing about college and Arden’s crush, their almost-bitch fight forgotten. As for me, I closed my eyes and sank into my chair, half-listening, half spacing out while my feet were rubbed and sanded and polished.
In the back of my mind, I considered if, in the span of a few minutes, Yael could get over whatever had driven her apart from Arden, maybe there was still a sliver of hope she and I could put our past behind us too.
When I laid my hand over hers, my fingers sliding along hers, her eyes narrowed, and she curled her hand into a fist before turning back to her friends.
It was a real fucking small sliver, but I’d take it.
