Page 35 of Back To Our Beginning

I shoved a whole little smokie into my mouth and shrugged.

“Do you notice what she’s wearing, Trenda?”

“Oh, I noticed. It’s warm tonight, but little sis is wearing a clingy sweater. And if I’m not mistaken, she has a tank underneath, and as the party goes on, she’s going to get hotter and hotter, and be forced to take off the sweater.”

“Isn’t she the little minx,” Ruby cooed.

I swallowed my food and grabbed for a bottle of water and drank some down. “I will not be taking off my sweater. What’s more, it’s lightweight cotton, so it’s really cool. Not hot at all. So, your supposition is all wrong.”

Ruby shoved a margarita at me. “Here, you know you love Trenda’s strawberry margaritas. She made them weak, so they won’t get you hot. You’ll be fine.”

I took a sip and coughed. “Jesus, Trenda, just how much tequila did you put in this, the entire bottle?”

Trenda looked innocent as she sipped from a bottle of water.

Smart woman.

“Ruby, don’t you think it’s time we give Maddie some advice? She’s used to milquetoast men like Ted. She needs to know how to handle a live one.”

Ruby gave Trenda a surprised look. “Trenda, I might have lived in LA most of my life, but I don’t have the slightest idea about how to deal with a live one. Hell, look at me, like anyone as hot and impressive as Beau would ever be interested.” She held out her arms to show off her voluptuous figure.

“You need to stop doing that, Ruby,” I said seriously. “Half the guys who show up at Java Jolt in the morning are not there for the coffee. They’re there for the view.”

Ruby gave me a hurt look. “Give it a rest, Maddie. I don’t need you blowing smoke up my ass. I know who I am. I’ve come to terms with it. Okay?”

Aw shit. I’d fucked up. I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings.

I glanced over at my sister and she gave me the ‘shut it’ sign. Still, it killed me that Ruby had such a skewed perception of herself. If I ever got ahold of the people who hurt her in LA, I would let loose a full can of whoop ass out on them.

“Ignore me, Ruby. I’m just nervous about Beau,” I apologized.

“Now, that I believe.” She smiled. “So, Trenda, you snagged Simon. What advice do you have for Maddie?”

Before my sister could answer, I said, “I don’t want to snag Beau. He’s my friend. That’s all he’s ever been and ever will be.”

“Sure. And that’s why you let him win that game of pool,” Ruby scoffed.

“I heard about that,” Trenda laughed. “Maddie always wins. I wish I could have seen that.”

“Maddie, in real life, aren’t you the teeniest, eeniest interested in Beau, not as a friend, but as more? Maybe as a lover?”

I started coughing. I should have known better than to be sipping the red-dyed tequila when Ruby started to talk. Trenda patted my back.

“I don’t know,” I wailed. “That’s the problem.”

“Well, I know,” Trenda said. “I recognize the symptoms. You have the same Avery girl sickness that has assailed Evie, Chloe, and me. The dazed look, the confusion, too much ice cream, longing looks and feeling like you’re a planet orbiting around the sun.”

“Orbiting around the sun? Are you kidding me? Where in the hell do you get this hooey?” I demanded.

Ruby looked at Trenda like she was some sort of oracle. “I’ve seen the longing looks and the confusion. Let’s not forget the panic attacks.”

“Oh yeah, there’s those, too,” Trenda nodded.

“Are you talking about Maddie’s infatuation with Beau? I think he might be okay.”

I turned around so fast at the sound of my big brother’s voice, one of my little smokies shot off the plate and rocketed toward Drake. He caught it and popped it into his mouth.

“You like him?” I asked.