Page 4 of Popular (Private: The Extended Edition #5)

“They don’t , but like most creatures in the ocean, they definitely possess FAFO.”

“You told Wes they were safe for us to swim around! That doesn’t sound safe!”

“Is he here too?” I kindly investigate. “Wes?”

“Nah. Mr. Wilcox isn’t really that into Star Trek shit . ”

“And you still married him?”

“Right?!” The mirth in her tone gets us both snickering. “Complete grounds for divorce if he doesn’t get his shit together.”

“Absolutely.”

More laughter leaves us both alongside mischievous winking.

This I like.

Not only because it’s nice to be around another female – and don’t feel like we’re competing for the same thing – but because I’ve never had a close chick friend.

That desire was ripped out of me early on.

Kept on the sidelines.

Benched for decades.

Most women I’ve been around can be assigned to one of two teams.

Squad one: Keep your friends close but enemies closer – aka the waiting to stab you in the back for their benefit group.

Squad two: Only close to you to be closer to someone else – aka the waiting for an opportunity to bang your brother group.

It would be great to have a real friend.

And there’s something about Bryn that’s signaling to me she’s a friendly lifeform rather than a hostile one.

I’m grateful for it.

That and she’s clearly happily married given the way she just gushed over her husband.

“ Sorry, I couldn’t get a seat closer, Nae, ” my brother unexpectedly sighs over my shoulder prompting the entire group to rotate to face him. “But I swear I heard the whole thing.”

There’s no stopping my head from tilting challengingly to one side.

“Okay, not the whole thing, but like most of it.”

The position remains unchanged.

“Half.”

One blink.

“Half of a half.”

A second.

“Half of a half of a half.”

Lifting my brows upward causes his lean, 6’10 frame to crumble forward.

“Okay, fine! I only caught the last three minutes!”

Victoriously grinning can’t be stopped.

“And you are?” Bryn salaciously investigates, eyes eagerly doing their best to drink him in from top to bottom.

“Jericho,” he retorts in a similar tone prior to extending his open palm for shaking “ Jericho Boucher. ”

“My twin,” I casually interject.

“You’re a twin?!” croaks the man beside me.

“Fraternal,” Jer offhandedly replies while keeping his gaze locked on hers. “And who are you, beautiful?”

“Bryn,” barely manages to leave her lips courtesy of her vacation partner.

“ She’s married ,” unhappily grumps my fake BAE. “To my best friend.”

“Weird flex, but okay,” laughs off the other female in the space.

“ Chill, pretty boy, ” my twin lightly chortles. “I’m not into married women.”He folds his arms across his tank top covered chest. “That was Pop’s shit. Won’t ever be mine.”

“And just for the research log,” Bryn sassily snips, pointed finger waving dramatically through the air, “I’m married, not dead. Beautiful specimen like Jericho,” she flicks the digit in his direction, “are basically like sharks of the human world. Something wonderful to look at but not touch.”

J.T. quirks an eyebrow at her without hesitation. “Except you do touch sharks.”

Her nose threatens to scrunch.

“ For a living. ”

“ Fuckfine! ” She surrenders with both hands. “I won’t touch this one!”

Curiosity gets the better of my brain pushing me to ask, “Do you touch real sharks? Like Jaws shit?”

“ Dontgetherstartedonthatmovie, ” mutters J.T. during his return to texting.

“Fuck that movie. Sharks are friends not foes!”

“Pretty sure that’s a different movie entirely,” chuckles my twin.

“And second, yes. I work in the field of marine biology, which we can talk about more elsewhere. Maybe over misposas?

“Man, I love how everything is renamed for the convention,” Jericho muses.

“ Metoooo ,” Bryn enthusiastically sings.

“We actually have a tee-time up next,” I inform the group, “which you can join us for if you like. They allow up to four.”

“I would love that!” she exclaims, excitement short-lived. “Just like I bet you would love for Puppet Boy-”

“That’s a rough nickname,” quietly cackles the only best friend I’ve ever had.

“-to stop working ,” Bryn emphasizes closer to his clean-shaven face.

He shoots her a displeased glare. “You know this shit is important.”

“I know that the hot girl next to you deserves more attention than she’s getting.”

Seeing a perfect chance to step into the back and forth, I cleverly add, “I’ve never had a guy I’m dating put our relationship first.”

“Wait,” Jericho grunts in confusion. “You’re dating?”

“ Fake dating ,” the other woman fills in at the same time J.T. shifts his attention to me.

“I didn’t know that.”

“I just found out this morning.”

“I’ve never had a woman I’m dating want me to put our relationship first,” confesses my hazel eyed dreamboat.

“I would like it if you did.”

Reluctance to offer his phone to Bryn is non-existent. “Done.”

“ Excuse you, ” she immediately scoffs. “Do I look like your fucking secretary?”

He tosses her a crooked grin. “No, you look like the Uhura to my Kirk.”

An amused groan is attached to her snatching the device from him.

“Don’t text anyone.”

“Fine.”

“Or change my settings.”

“Less fine,” she playfully sneers.

“Or leave it somewhere weird like inside a snow cone machine.”

“One time!” Huffs his best friend. “I did that shit one time! ”

“Let’s not make it two?” He cheekily chuckles. “How about we let Singh hold it?”

“And how about we get to the ‘holodeck’ before we miss our slot?” I happily suggest.

J.T. links fingers with me, kisses my knuckles, and kindly insists, “ Lead the way, beloved. ”