Page 39 of Fourth and Long

“I didn’t know you were going to track my sleeping habits.”

“There are lots of uses for this app,” she says shamelessly. “And don’t even pretend you haven’t used it to check where I am.”

I snap my mouth shut. Now that she mentions it, I have, on occasion, violated her privacy.

“Where are you?” she asks again.

I’m a horrible liar, so I don’t even try. “I went to the Amber Hope concert with Slater and the weather wasn’t great after the show so I decided to crash at his place.”

“YES,” she shouts. “I knew you were perfect for each other.”

“Wait, what?” I really hope she’s not saying what I think she’s saying.

“You’re totally Slater’s type. And he’s the opposite of the guys you usually date, so I knew you two would hit it off. Granted, I didn’t think you’d start sleeping together so quickly. I’m kind of proud of you. Do you remember that one guy? You waited, like, six months, and then the sex was so bad.”

“Kelsey,” I say sharply. “Are you saying this was a setup?”

“No. I mean…maybe?”

“Kelsey.”

She sighs dramatically. “Everything I told you was true. But…I was hoping you’d like him. You’re horrible at dating. And you never go out with guys you want to fuck. That’s why the sex sucks.”

What in the hell? I’m never sharing another detail about my sex life with my sister.

“The assistant thing was a ruse?” I ask, trying to clarify what’s happening.

“No. Well, sort of? I knew you were bored and lonely, and then Cam told me Slater was lonely, and I had the greatest idea ever. You can’t be mad about it. All I did was put you in Slater’s orbit and ask you to be his friend.”

I lurch upright. “What did Cam tell Slater when he called him?”

“Do I have to tell you?” she asks.

Oh no. Did Cam tell Slater something horribly embarrassing? Am I going to have to sneak out of this apartment to avoid the shame of looking him in the eye?

“Kelsey,” I growl.

“I might have convinced him to recommend you to Slater by telling Cam that you need the money.”

I’m silent for a moment. That isn’t as bad as it could be, but it makes me feel like my sister was trying to pimp me out. Or she was trying to pimp Slater out. One or the other. “That isn’t true,” I say miserably.

“Debatable.”

Given my current career situation, she’s not entirely wrong, but I have a reasonably healthy savings account. And my father gave me my apartment as a graduation gift so I can last for a while without a job.

“Slater has more money than you. His endorsement deals alone are ridiculous, and Cam was looking for someone to check in with him. It seemed like a win-win-win.” Kelsey pauses. “It doesn’t matter how things started out—all that matters is you like him. And he must like you, too, if he took you to a concert and asked you to stay over.”

I sigh and flop back onto the pillows.

“I was sleeping.” I pause, and then add, “Independently.”

“I’m confused.”

“Slater is sleeping in his room. I’m sleeping in his guest room. There was no sleeping together. We aren’t dating. We aren’t fucking. You asked me to be his friend. How could you think I would sleep with him when he needs a friend?”

“You can be his friend and sleep with him. In fact, it’s probably best if you become friends before you sleep together,” she says. “Wait. Are you saying you don’t want to sleep with him?”

“I’m saying we’re friends.”