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“We?” I gape. “Nick has your name?”
His grim expression is all the confirmation I need.
“Oh my God.” I can't stop laughing. I might actually die of laughter. Imagining a smashed Nick and Jackson stumbling into some random tattoo parlor and cementing their friendship in the form of matching tattoos on their fucking asscheeks has me falling onto my back and clutching my stomach.
God, I wonder if Amelia knows about this. I hope not, if only so I can be the one to break the news.
I attempt to sober up, propping myself up on my elbows, lips quivering with the effort of holding in my laugh. “Be honest with me. Are you in love with Nick? You can tell me, I promise I won't tell anyone!”
“I hate you.”
Cocking my head, my lips pull in a smug smile. “Liar.”
Jackson softens. “Yeah.”
* * *
Partner-free days are decidedly rare lately.
Even today hasn't been completely devoid of significant others; I spent the morning with Jackson, I'm pretty sure Nick is waiting impatiently in Amelia's bed, and while Kate might pretend she's so much better than us, I know for a fact that she has plans with Sydney later this afternoon.
But for now, for once, it's just the three of us. I invited Pen but again, she rain-checked; apparently, shit really hit the fan at home over the holidays and she's still suffering through the aftershocks. I'm yet to get the details on that one, but I'm sure I'll wrestle them out of her at some point.
Honestly, a girl's day devoted to pampering was desperately needed. After all the excessive drinking and eating I did over the holiday season, my skin is screaming for a facial. My nails were looking pretty desperate too, considering how many layers of nail polish I painted on and picked off over the course of a week.
Snapping a picture of my new pretty blue manicure, I send it to Jackson, hurriedly putting my phone away when I catch Kate smirking at me. I aim for nonchalance as I raise a brow and sip on the mimosa I ordered with brunch. “What?”
“Nothing,” she sings her reply. “Just remembering the days when relationships made you gag.”
Up goes a perfectly manicured middle finger in my friend's direction. Kate just smiles while Amelia catches my hand in hers and studies my fresh nails, running a thumb over the pale blue polish. “Since when do you like blue?”
I snatch my hand away. “Since always.”
Kate snorts. “Since she got a boyfriend whose favorite color is blue.”
“Not everything in my life revolves around a boy, Kate,” I chide, tutting dramatically.
But she's totally right. I definitely picked blue because it happens to be Jackson's favorite color. And him happening to like the feeling of long nails scratching his back might have something to do with the longer-than-normal length too.
Judging by Kate's knowing look, she's already guessed as much. But, she drops it, instead focusing on the elaborate, mouth-watering menu laid out on the table in front of us.
I got to do the same, but my phone buzzing in my pocket distracts me. Leaning back slightly in my chair, I sneak a glance, expecting a reply from Jackson. Instead, a different name lights up my screen.
Nicolas Silva: Make sure she eats.
A second later, another message pings through.
Nicolas Silva: Please.
A soft 'aw' sound leaves me as I twist my phone so Amelia can see the screen. Amelia frowns for a moment before her eyes focus on the screen and her frown fades to a soft smile that she tries to hide behind an eye roll. “I swear, that boy is obsessed with my calorie intake.”
“I think it's cute,” Kate coos. “He cares about you.”
“Hm.” My brows shoot up. “Cares. Is that the word we're using?”
A light pink flushes Amelia's pale cheeks. She pokes me with one of her freshly pointy nails. “Don't start.”
I drop it, but only because the waiter appears to take our order and my growling stomach overrules how much I enjoy embarrassing my clueless red-headed friend. Without sharing my intentions with the others, I decide to take a leaf out of Ma's book, ordering a bit of everything to share. When Amelia makes a face at the sheer amount of food I'm ordering, I nudge her pointedly. “Come on. Daddy's orders.”
