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“Be honest,” Gwyneth deadpanned. “How are things with your dad? His girlfriend? Are you still sleeping at your other house? What about the guys? How are things with them?”
Oh, so this wasn’t just small talk. They wanted the nitty-gritty. “Okay, things with my dad are weird. It’s like he knows there’s something wrong but hadn’t paused long enough to figure it out. We’ve been tracking Juliet, but Gavin’s still establishing her routine, so we can see when she does anything suspicious. I haven’t seen her since I found out she is a part of the Anti-Society.”
“How have you managed that?” CeeCee asked.
A waiter interrupted us to take our orders, then promptly disappeared. I glanced around to make sure we were still fairly isolated. Our conversation wasn’t something I wanted overheard.
“A lot of coordination. Tessa and Daniel will let me know if they see either of them at my house, and if she’s there, then I go to my mom’s.”
Gwyneth shook her head. “You shouldn’t have to avoid your own home.”
“Hopefully, it won’t go on much longer. We’ll either be able to prove she’s innocent or that she’s a spy.” The reality of the words coming out of my mouth was surreal. What had my life become?
“We’ll be here for you, no matter what happens,” CeeCee promised, and Gwyneth nodded.
“Thanks.” Warmth spread in my chest, and I was grateful for the hundredth time that I finally met them and that the warnings I’d received were unnecessary. They might have been dramatic and petty in the past, but they’d done a lot of maturing since the guys last hung out with them.
“And the guys?” Gwyneth wagged her brows.
I couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at my lips even if I wanted to. “Good.”
They both leaned in. “Give us more than that. We want the dirty details,” CeeCee said.
I widened my eyes. “You’re going to be disappointed.”
Gwyneth cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
I glanced between them. “We’ve kissed and cuddled, and there were a few incidents on the cruise that I can probably laugh at now––”
“Stop.” She cut me off. “You’re telling us that you are dating five of the sexiest guys in the Society, and all you’ve done is kiss them?”
CeeCee shot me an apologetic look while ramming her elbow in Gwyneth’s side. “That’s fine. Not everyone moves at your pace, Gwyn.”
I appreciated backing me up, but that didn’t stop my face from heating to a million degrees. I probably looked like a stop sign at that point.
“You’re right,” Gwyneth conceded, “but I can’t believe they’re okay with that.”
I sat back. “Why?”
“Because you’re you.” She waved her hand down in front of me. “And they’re teenage boys.”
I swallowed. “I told them I wasn’t ready, and they’ve respected that.”
CeeCee nodded. “That’s good. You have to do what’s right for you and not let other people influence you.”
She said the last part to Gwyneth, who rolled her eyes in response before turning to me. “Why aren't you ready?”
“Gwyneth.” I widened my eyes.
“Please call me Gwyn. I feel like I’m in trouble every time you say my full name.” She leaned her elbows on the table. “Why aren’t you ready? Is it a religious thing? Are you saving yourself? Are you not attracted to any of them in that way? Are you scared?”
CeeCee elbowed her again, but Gwyn shot her a glare. “We’re friends. These are the kinds of things friends share.”
She was right. I was the one that wanted girlfriends for this reason. I needed to talk to someone outside of the guys and their moms about us.
“I grew up going to an all-girls school. I had my first boyfriend last year. My first kiss, my first make out, my first heartbreak. This is all still new to me, and it’s overwhelming to think about crossing that line with not only one guy but five.” I finally admitted aloud.
“So you are scared?” Gwyn asked, not condescendingly like I’d expected, but like she was trying to piece together the puzzle of my relationships.
