AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Three days of constant contact and a lot of shit that needed to be worked out together.”
“And what happens when you go back to New York and she goes back to school? What happens when you guys have to deal with long distance?”
“We haven’t worked out those details yet,” I admitted.
“Of course, you haven’t,” he said. “Because you’re not thinking with your head. Just with your dick.”
“Dude, chill,” I said. “I’m not going to sit here and pretend that sex with Jenna had nothing to do with helping me to fall for her, but it wasn’t the only thing that did it. She’s so fucking smart, and funny, and adventurous. She makes me want to find a way to experience life again, like I haven’t since even before Hannah.”
“You still didn’t answer my question.”
“Because I don’t have an answer,” I said. “I have ideas, most of which are a lot easier with the kind of money I have saved up, but I don’t want to sit here and tell you I have a grand plan until I talk to her.”
“So what?” Dean said. “Are you looking for my blessing? Because I just can’t, man.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Like I said, we haven’t had a chance to fully decide what we want to do. And yeah, I’d love your blessing, but I guess all I’m really hoping for is that you won’t consider it such a breach of trust that our friendship would end, and that you won’t try to stop me from seeing what might be here.”
He put his head in his hands and shook it back and forth. He stayed that way for a long moment before he finally looked back up at me.
“Fine,” he said.
“Fine… what?” I asked when he didn’t elaborate.
“Fine, I won’t stand in your way,” he said. “And I’m not going to ditch you as a friend. Just… don’t let me walk in on anything like thateveragain, okay? As far as I’m concerned, you and my sister are both chaste, born-again virgins who will never touch in that way again. Understand?”
I fought the urge to laugh, knowing it was probably the wrong time to do so.
“Yeah,” I said instead. “I understand. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said, and my heart sank. “I didn’t make any promises about standing inherway. I might still manage to convince her to stay celibate her whole life.”
Now he finally cracked a smile, and I allowed myself to laugh.
“Alright,” I said. “Do you wanna keep looking for damage?”
“Oh,” he said, “I just assumed you’d pay for it all. I was more thinking about causing some damage myself, if you catch my drift, but I think I’ll save it in case you break my sister’s heart.”
“I don’t see that happening,” I said, “but if I ever do, I will willingly submit to whatever you feel is appropriate.”
“Well, that’s good,” he said. “Becauseyouridea of ‘appropriate’ is wrapping your dong in garland to seduce someone, and I just think you need to do some reevaluation there.” He sighed. “Besides… maybe this will soften the blow for Jenna.”
“What blow?” I said slowly, suddenly apprehensive.
“Well… you’re not the only one who was getting laid this weekend.”
It took me a moment to realize what he was saying.
“Lexi?” I asked. “But what about the girl you’ve been seeing?”
Dean looked at me like I was slow. “Who do you think that girl is?” he asked. “We met at her birthday six months ago and hit it off. We’ve been talking ever since.”
“Wow,” I said. “You know, this would be a really good chance for me to make some comments about glass houses, but I think I’ll just say that I’m really happy for you.”
“Thanks,” Dean said, giving me an appreciative smile. “And now…” He turned to walk back toward the house with an enigmatic smile. “I have something to do.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jenna
