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She bats her eyes innocently. “Me?”

“You’re flattering me, hoping you can butter me up, so I’ll say it’s okay to date Reid. But I know you. That will be a short fling and you’ll move to the next and the next and…” She won’t stop until she’s bagged them all—until she’s bagged theirking, Reese Cain.

Nadia wants the golden ring.

And I’m the only one standing between her and trying to get it.

“What if I promise to only go after Reid.One guy.” She grabs my hand. “He’ll only be single for a minute before he’s either back with Darla or moved on to someone else.”

She’s right, and really, is it fair for me to cockblock my best friend?

“Fine,” I relent, “but only Reid.”

She squeals, throwing her arms around me. “Thank you!” She grabs the remote and turns off the TV.

“Hey! I was watching that!”

“Guess what? The husband did it. He always does!”

“That’s not true—”

“Twy, there’s no time to waste. I need you to introduce me to Reidtonight.”

I still. “What’s tonight?”

“Party at the manor.”

“A party? At the hockey house? I don’t know…can’t we just do something more casual? Like on campus?” Panic blooms in my chest. “Like, a good old-fashioned coffee shop meet-cute?”

“No chance. I don’t want meet-cute. I want meet-hot, and I can’t wear my slutty stuff on campus. I need to make a good impression and fast. Reid won’t be single long.”

I sigh, already knowing this is a terrible, awful idea. “You know, he may be into you for just you and not your tits and ass.”

She cups her ample breasts and squeezes them together in an impressive display of cleavage. “But they’re my best features.”

The sad part is that Nadia believes that.

Against my better judgment I say, “I’ll go, but I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“Even if he wants to, you can’t sleep with him immediately. You have to give this a real shot. An actual date, not just a hookup.” Because that’s where it always goes wrong for Nadia. Not trying to be a prude, I’ve just seen it over and over. “Play hard to get.” She glances down at her low-cut tank and raises her eyebrow. “Fine, playkind ofhard to get. Just… for me?” And for her—because I know Nadia really does want something with one of these guys. A future, and she’s not getting it the way she’s going about it. “Do that, and I’ll introduce you and be your wingwoman for the night.”

“Deal.”

I reach for the remote, certain I can get in a few episodes while she gets ready, but she holds it out of my reach, and pulls me off the couch, instead.

“What’s happening right now?”

She looks me up and down, her eyes filled with excitement. “You’re showering, changing and doing…something with your hair.”

“But—”

“Twyler, I know one thing for certain; my wingwoman doesn’t wear hoodies to parties.”

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Reese