Page 41 of Bloom

She doesn’t look entirely appeased. “Fine,” she says. “James’s head would explode if you walked out wearing it anyway.”

I take the dress.

When we return to the deck I notice that James looks as every bit as grim as he did earlier. Apparently my ex’s charm doesn’t work on everyone.

And his face falls even further when he looks toward us.

“Damn, babe,” says Ryan, walking toward me slowly. “I’ve never seen that dress before.”

“It’s Ginny’s.”

“Ginny,” Ryan grins, “you’re in charge of her wardrobe from now on.”

“That’s not a dress. It’s a shirt,” grumbles James. “And not even a long one.”

“Have fun, girls!” shouts Max.

James says nothing, but I can still hear Max’s slightly maniacal laughter as we walk out the front door.

**

Ryan’s bandmates make room for us when we get to the bar. They’re all pretty good guys, despite what I consider excessive ambivalence about the Ivy League education their parents are underwriting. “Who’s your hot friend, Elle?” asks Paul, the drummer.

“This is Ginny,” I reply. “Who is not only hot, but incredibly brilliant.” I guess if she’s not going to bring up the boyfriend, I won’t either.

Once Ginny is happily situated with his bandmates, Ryan pulls me aside. “So what’s the deal with her brother?”

I shrug. “He’s just over-protective.”

“Are you dating him?”

“No. He thinks of me like a little sister.”

“No he doesn’t. He thinks of you like someone he’s either screwing or dying to screw.”

I wish I didn’t feel the momentary thrill those words elicit.

He did kiss me.

He said my name when he did it.

Yes, and then he said he doesn’t see me “that way”.

“You’re completely wrong,” I say. “He used to babysit for me. He acts like that with every guy who comes near me or Ginny.”

“If that’s true, then why didn’t he seem worried at all about Ginny coming out with us tonight?”

I shrug. “Maybe he just figured, because we dated … that you weren’t a threat to her.”

“So am I?” he asks, sidling closer to me. “A threat?”

“No,” I scoff, stepping back a little. “You’ve probably caught more diseases on this tour than medical research has even uncovered.”

“You know I always use condoms.”

“You don’t wear them for everything,” I say pointedly.

“I can’t catch anything that way,” he argues.