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Oh my god. They do not.
Last night was a fluke. A one-time thing. We were buzzed and in the mood to celebrate a successful party. Those guys are as interested in me as Harry is in being a lap cat.
Jewel is just being… silly.
I roll my eyes and shake my head, maybe a bit too vigorously. But it’s the best defense I can come up with at the moment. I should have been better prepared. Of course she’s going to have nosy questions.
She leans toward me, her homemade body oil stinging my nose. “Livvy, listen to me,” she says, taking my hand. “I wasthere. Isawit. They can’t keep their eyes off you.”
“Shhhh. They’re right next door,” I say, gesturing at our shared wall.
She rolls her eyes, then drops her head back and groans. The drama must serve her well in her acting classes. “Jesus. You really have no idea? C’mon.”
She walks around the counter and gets right in my face. “You’re blushing, Olive-also-known-as-Livvy Fontaine. You’re red as a beet, girlfriend. And there’s something you’re not telling meee,” she sings, wagging a finger in my face.
I avoid her gaze by straightening up some cat treats that don’t need straightening. “Jewel, there’s nothing to tell,” I say, my voice squeaking through the lie.
Dammit. I’m not cut out to lie. I’m just not.
“Oh my God, thereis. Tell me, Livvy, or I’ll… I don’t know… I’ll go over there and bring back one of those weird-ass guinea hens they have on the menu. I’ll eat it in front of you, then throw the carcass in your office garbage can. Skin, bones, gristle. The whole thing.”
Now that’s a low blow. She’s not fighting fair.
“You can’t afford one of their hens, or whatever is it.”
She smirks. “You’re right, I can’t. But with Dad’s AmEx, I can. You never know when you’re going to need an emergency guinea hen. He’ll understand.”
I happen to know Jewel’s ‘emergency AmEx’ is not used exclusively for emergencies. Her agreement with her father is none of my business, but I’m pretty sure Dad pays for her wacky courses and who knows what else.
“Very funny, bringing meat here. You’d never do that.”
She looks at me very intently. “Oh yes, I would. So, spill. What happened?”
I roll my shoulders to fend off the growing tension and look out the front window, because I can’t bear to see Jewel’s face when she finds out I kissed two guys.
I hold my hands up. I surrender. “Fine, fine. You’re right, something happened. But it’ssonot a big deal.”
Yeah, right. It’s so not a big deal I that stayed up half the night thinking about it with a smile on my face. I was only able to sleep after a date with BOB.
Battery-operated-boyfriend.
I am still avoiding Jewel’s gaze. But it’s time to come clean. “I kissed them,” I mumble.
This should hopefully feed her relentless interest.
“What?”she screeches.
I back up, my hands over my ears. “Ouch Jewel, that was freaking loud. Anyway, you heard me. There’s nothing else to say.” I head to the back of the store to clean up the dog-grooming station. I have one or two pups coming in today. I can’t remember for sure.
My mind is a little muddled.
Not satisfied, Jewel jumps in front of me.
“What? What do you want now?” I huff.
She points a finger right into my chest, something an employee should probably never do. But I let her get away with all kinds of shit because I’m a pushover that way.
Plus, I like her. We’re friends.
