Page 36 of C*cky Best Friend

“You’re one to ask a person’s whereabouts, Lex! Where’s Brad?”

“Answer the question.”

“You answer the question.”

Mom walks out, tapping her phone against her impatient palm. “Oh good, my children are making me proud.”

Asher laughs, but covers his mouth when she raises an eyebrow at him.

I am mortified as Hunter jams a finger at him. “This guy was up on Sam!”

“He was not on me! He was standing close, that’s it!”

Sighing, Mom informs him, “Hunter, you are making a scene that even Max is rolling his eyes over. You saw Sam and Asher—”

“That was acting! Where is Logan?”

Starting to get offended, Asher asks me, “Wait, are you dating Logan?”

“No! I am not. We are just friends. Hunter, you’re embarrassing me and I can’t even recognize you right now.”

His irises flicker and darken. “Shit.”

Mom, Lexi and I all say, “Language.”

Turning to Asher, he offers, “Sorry, Schmuck.”

Dad has marched out by this time. He sighs, grabs Hunter’s shoulders and pushes him toward the doors. “Your grandparents aren’t impressed. Lexi, let’s leave your sister and Asher alone. Come on.” Through the double doors they all go. But I see Max motioning for Hunter to come over and give him the low-down.

With just us out here now, I tell Asher, “I’m sorry. We aren’t normal.”

“You look pretty normal to me,” he smiles. “I’ve got a big family. I’m the youngest.”

“Oh? How many?”

“Seven.”

“Wow! We have five.”

“You love ‘em and you want to strangle ‘em.”

Biting my lip I glance to his pocket as he slides a hand in. “Look, I’m going to be here for a while so…”

He pulls out his phone. “You kicking me out?”

“Um…well, it’s a family thing.”

“You invited Logan.”

My mouth slackens. He’s right. But it hadn’t occurred to me that he would care. “He’s like family, though. They all know him, and he’s—”

“I get it,” Asher interrupts, but I can tell he doesn’t. However, it’s not an argument his pride will allow.

I type my phone number. “It’ll be boring, anyway.”

“Nothing’s boring about you,” he smiles.

My awkwardness melts and I kiss him. “Thank you.”