Page 38 of Tasting Innocence
“You’re not sorry,” I say with a crooked grin.
“I’m not,” she replies with a small chuckle.
“Let’s eat,” I say, making my way to the cabinet that holds the plates. “So I can begin to think straight,” I mumble.
She giggles and opens the pizza boxes, grabbing a piece and taking a bite. “Mm.”
I hand her a plate and grin. “I bet. All that cheese.”
“Just because you get every meat on earth on your pizza doesn’t mean yours is any better.”
“That’s exactly what it means,” I say, tossing a couple pieces on the plate before walking to the table. “Drink? Soda? Water? Juice?”
“Water is fine.”
I pull two bottles out of the fridge and bring them back to the table, dragging my chair back and sitting next to her.
“Can I admit this was the longest day ever?” I ask.
She snorts. “I’m glad I wasn’t the only one thinking that. I literally had nothing to do all day.”
“Shit, I should’ve told you to come earlier.”
“You should’ve,” she agrees, taking another bite.
My phone lights up on the table between us.
“It’s your brother,” I say, wiping my fingers on my jeans before snatching up the phone and reading the message. “He’s just thanking me for the weekend.”
She nods, reaching for the water bottle. The mention of Renzo definitely puts a blanket of discomfort around us.
“He told me to come over next weekend for dinner,” she says. “Friday, before Ronan’s birthday on Saturday.”
“Yeah, he invited me too.”
“Maybe we can tell him then?” she muses.
“I think Trevor and Jay are gonna be there too. I think we should talk to him alone.”
“We can go early,” she offers.
“True. Okay, it’s a deal.”
She smiles. “It’ll be fine.”
Even if she’s faking it, her confidence reassures me a little. “Yeah, we’ll be okay,” I say.
“Okay, let’s stop talking about my brother now.”
I laugh. “Yes, sounds like a good idea.” I get up to get another slice of pizza and my phone goes off again. “And there he is again,” I say with a chuckle. “What’s he saying now?”
“Um, it’s not him,” she says quietly.
When I get back to the table, I glance at the screen and see a message from Chelsea.
Chelsea: Had fun the other weekend. Let’s do it again soon. <3
Just fucking great.