Page 24 of The Backup Plan
You’ve come to the right place for pain and suffering. Tell your boys where it hurts.
EIGHT
Dating Pool
AVERY
Avery glared at her brother as she buttered a bagel. Justin sipped coffee and refused to make eye contact.
“That went well,” he said brightly.
“Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“Avie, there’s nothing wrong with it.”
She pointed the butter knife at him until he met her eyes. “Mindy? Justin, Melinda Scheer is my advisor, and she is seven years older than you are.”
“It would be sick if she were seven years younger. This is not the same.”
“Did she know how old you are when she said she’d go out with you?”
“She didn’t card me.” He took another drink.
“And she didn’t hear your last name and think, oh, I have a student with that last name?”
“I don’t know if she?—”
“She teaches at the same school where you’re a student. Is that even legal?”
He caught himself before dropping the mug on the saucer. “It’s not high school. We’re consenting adults, and she doesn’t teach anything adjacent to any class I take. It was a second date, and it was at The Farm, so no one cares. It’s not that big a deal.”
“It’s weird.”
“You’re weird.”
“If I wanted to stoop to my own level of juvenile humor and pouting, I’d have asked Isaac to brunch. You’re supposed to be the wise big brother.”
Justin flicked a sugar packet at her. “You guys got along well.”
“We have a treaty of mutual protection, and a not-date to play laser tag on Wednesday.”
“Can I come?”
“No. We’re plotting your downfall. Isaac wants your job.”
He sat back against the booth and crossed his arms. “What the hell is really wrong? Petty pouting bullshit is not your look, and you are petty as fuck this morning. This isn’t about Mindy. You and Fields got along fine. What happened last night?”
Avery nibbled her bagel, then poked it with her knife. “I had an interest in a person who is clearly not interested in me. But it was stupid of me, so I’m a little annoyed with myself.”
“Someone at the party?” Justin narrowed his eyes, scanning his mental roster.
“Yeah. But I didn’t know he was your teammate before, or I would have asked you and saved myself the trouble of finding out he’s a jerk.”
“Do you want me to know who?”
“Don’t laugh. Cameron Porter.”
He closed his eyes and pressed his palms flat to the table as he sighed.