Page 115

“Jolie, get out,” Kyle said, laughing.

Melinda was trying to find her shirt with her hand, the only part of Melinda that was now outside of the blanket.

“Here,” Jolie said, handing Melinda a shirt.

“That’s mine,” Kyle replied.

“Does it matter?” Melinda remarked from beneath the blanket.

“I think this is probably yours,” Jolie said, holding up Melinda’s black bra. “A little too big for Ky here.”

“Okay.” Kyle took the bra. “Leave my girlfriend’s bra alone.”

“Girlfriend?” Jolie said, lifting her eyebrow and waiting for Kyle to explain.

“Yes. We’re together now,” Melinda said instead. “And thank you for my bra.”

Kyle handed it to her and laughed as Melinda shifted a lot under the blanket until she emerged with Kyle’s shirt on and, likely, her own bra on underneath it. Kyle was holding the blanket to her chest, covering herself up, but she looked around for her sports bra. Finding it by Jolie’s foot a second later, she picked it up, quickly pulled it over her chest, and lay back down.

“Um… Babe,” Melinda said. “These are yours.” She held up Kyle’s underwear.

“Gross, guys,” Jolie said.

“Youcame in here. No one invited you,” Kyle reminded.

“It smells like sex in here,” Jolie stated. “I’m going to vent the place a little.” She unzipped the tent a bit. “So, while my sister puts her panties back on, does anyone want to tell me why you’re in the backyard?”

“We stayed out here last night,” Kyle said as she slipped into her underwear and looked over at Melinda, who was still completely covered but appeared to be doing the same thing.

“Yes, Ky. I can see that.”

“The house is being fixed up right now, so the furniture is gone. I didn’t want to have sex with my girlfriend in Grandma’s bed. And yes, Mel has a place, and we’ve stayedthere for the past few nights, but we like it out here in the garden, so I wanted to surprise her.”

“But not get arrested,” Melinda added from beneath the blanket.

Kyle laughed and said, “Yeah, that.”

“So, you bought a tent and went to town on each other out here?”

“Yes,” Melinda said.

Kyle laughed again.

“And it was amazing,” Melinda added before she finally came out from under the blanket and smiled at Kyle. “She’s amazing.”

“That’s adorable,” Jolie replied.

“What are you doing here? In New Orleans?” Kyle asked.

“Mom called me and told me you were being a total bitch, so naturally, I assumedshe’ddone something. I came back to help, if I can.”

“Help?” Kyle asked.

Melinda handed Kyle her pants and said, “Why don’t I let you two talk? I’m dressed. I just need my shoes.”

“Here.” Jolie pointed to Melinda’s shoes in the corner.

“Thanks,” Melinda replied.