Page 30

Oh, she has no idea.

“So, you met a monster…person,” I begin, waiting for her to fill in the juicy details.

“I did, and they were…well, a little bit unexpected. I have no clue what they were, but my god.”

“Gods,” I whisper reflexively.

“Sure, yeah, gods, they were something. Thin as a rail and sorta nerdy but so damn sweet! They took me to dinner downtown, and then we went to see that new documentary on the deep sea. It scared the shit out of me, so they took me home early, and we got it the fuck on.” She sighs like we’re back in high school again and she finally got the attention of the entire football team.

“I see, so things went well, and you’re skipping the gory details—thank you, by the way—because?”

“Well, I can’t exactly kiss and tell when I want to see them again.” Her tone is so matter of fact that I laugh.

I laugh so hard that tears begin to stream down my face. One thing my sister never does is see hookups again who she actually likes. Something in her DNA just repels actual romantic feelings.

“You bitch, shut uuuuup,” she whines, drawing out the words.

I swear I can hear her stomp her foot in the background, too, but I’m unsure as my breath comes in steady hiccups.

“OK— Sorry— Trying,” I gasp, my stomach muscles twinging with pain from laughing.

“I mean it! I’m going to see him again. He’s really sweet, and before I left, he gave me his prized possession.”

“Their nuts?” I ask with a snort.

“No, a limited edition Color-Fighters lunch box,” she practically purrs.

It’s really odd that she’s preening over a lunch box inspired by an early 2000s kids’ show.

My mouth snaps shut, and I think I stop breathing. This is so fucking weird. Either that or my sister was body snatched.

“What? Lottie? Lottie, you there?” she asks after what feels like the longest two minutes of my life.

“You’re in love.” The awe dripping from my words makes her sniff on the other end of the line.

“Am not. I’m finally letting a man treat me the way I’m supposed to be treated,” she says, and I can hear her signature pout.

“Sure, of course, you’re totally doing that and not just…in insta-love with this random nerd.”

“I am not in love. You know I don’t do love and won’t until I stop fitting into my skinny jeans,” she grumbles.

“Doubt that will happen, Kenn, but I don’t doubt that something is going on with this nice nerd of yours. I’m happy for you,” I say softly.

She sighs again, all the tension leaving her body through that exhalation of breath. “I am too. It’s nice to feel like a person for once.”

“You’re always a person, too good of a person for anyone, especially some finance bro named Chad.”

She scoffs. “I’m basically your finance bro.”

“You wish. You don’t have a bro bone in your body.”

“I certainly did last night…” she singongs.

“I’m hanging up now,” I hiss, clicking the end-call button as she cackles. “And they think I’m the witch.”

Chapter 13

CHARLOTTE