Page 110 of Finding Fate
“Bite me, asshole.”
“I could, but I don’t thinkThe Hulkwould like that very much, and since he is a lot bigger than me, I’d rather not set him off again. That beast needs to stay caged.”
“That would be no fun. I did warn you, though.”
“Like anyone would have believed you. He’s happy all the fucking time, until someone flips his Gabby switch.”
I pour the heated milk chocolate into the festive holiday mugs for me and the girls, since spiked eggnog is out of the question. Bummer. I love that stuff. “You ought to have seen him this one time when he snuck me out for the night and an older guy from school called my phone after midnight because he was drunk at a party and wanted to ask me out.”
He smirks. “He answer the phone?”
“Yep. After I tossed it at his head and told him he could shove it up his ass because he accused me of talking to guys behind his back. Didn’t even stick around to see what he had to say. Didn’t really care at the time. He pissed me off. He picked me up about a mile down the road because I was walking home.”
“And? Don’t stop there.”
I grab the bag of miniature marshmallows and top off each cup, before reaching for the peppermint sticks. “He put his truck in park and jumped out, leaving the door open. I didn’t stop. Guess I was more important than the truck, because he followed me for a good ten minutes running his mouth before I told him to go home because it was over.” I glance up at Konnor with a villainous smile. “I was full of shit. I was never going to break up with him over something that stupid, but just once I wanted him to know how that felt after he did it to me when he found out I was thirteen. He didn’t have to know I would have taken it back had my plan backfired. He cried and apologized a million times, even though he’d probably kill me if he knew I told you.” I zone out as I think. “Still probably the best sex we’ve had to date. He never did that shit again, though, or questioned my faithfulness.”
“Funny how much I can picture all that in my head like a comedy,” Konnor says. I grab a handful of marshmallows and throw them at him, making him laugh. “On a serious note, all those nights with Autumn, I used to wonder why you never brought guys home. I didn’t know many girls like that. So much makes sense now.”
“I tried. Everything. Dates. Hook ups. Going to parties in groups. Especially after I turned eighteen and it was obvious he wasn’t coming back. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t wrap my mind around letting that happen with a guy when I was in love with someone else. They never compared. They never made me laugh or my heart race. I never felt nervous. They never hooked me with a simple glance like he did. I love the push and pull with him. The fighting as much as getting along. That’s why I was so angry when those two girls walked out of your house that morning dressed like sluts. It was a reminder that I could never let myself step out on him like that even when I knew he probably was. He was raised the conservative one and I got the paralyzing conscience. I think that’s why me and you hit it off. That night in my car after Presley walked in the bathroom on us, when you started telling me about everything with her, it brought back so many memories for me. I could see your head was a mess, and I know I gave you shit about Autumn a lot, but it’s because I was jealous you could silence the guilt just long enough to live messy. Ya know?”
He stares at me with his piercing blue eyes. It’s his best feature. “After all this time, I think I finally get his snaps, but coming from a guy, don’t compare. Living messy isn’t the same for everyone. Guys are wired different. Sleeping around isn’t moving on. It’s acting out. And had you seen him after an episode you’d never want to live messy. He was fucked up over you, Gabby, and I haven’t seen half of what Riggan has seen. The right girl has a way of getting in and burrowing so deep that you bleed out when she’s gone.”
It dawns on me what we’re talking about. “How on God’s green earth did we get on this topic? What are you even doing in here? Didn’t they just step out to get firewood when I came in here. Now the hot chocolate is probably cold. I should beat your ass. Don’t mess with a pregnant girl and her chocolate.”
He grins at me. “I need a favor.”
“I’m fresh out of those. Seems like every time I do Maddox a favor I end up pregnant.”
“Nice try. You’re the only one I trust to do it. This is what you get for being my adopted twin.”
I pick up my mug and take a sip. If he’s going to con me into doing shit by using that friend card, I’m going to enjoy my Christmas cocoa. “What’s in it for me?”
“Being the first one to confirm the sex of the baby.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, man. Way to play my ovaries against me. So you haven’t seen the goods?”
“Yes, and I have a pretty solid guess, but we didn’t get it confirmed. It’s in an envelope.”
“If you took Biology it’s not rocket science, Baker. Not to mention you’ve had sex. You know what they look like. You have one part and Presley has the other. Did you forget I had a boy? The pecker is there or not. It’s not that hard to guess. How is that fun for me? You should have taken me with you and turned your head when it was time. I could have waited outside for the bonding couple part.”
“You tell me this shit now,” he deadpans. “I’m a guy. Do I look like I plan chick shit to you? Where was this idea when we were like ‘we’re going to find out the sex’ right before we left the house?”
I huff. “Must I do everything for you? First, it’s fake hookups. Then it’s being your psychiatrist and roommate. Let’s not forget friendship obligations like answering your texts from time to time to confirm I’m alive and showing up at your concert. Now it’s plan your gender reveal. I’m going to start charging.”
His mouth tilts. “Don’t act like you don’t love me. I handed you Maddox on a silver platter.”
“You’re going to hold that over my head forever, aren’t you? Most would consider it a coincidence.”
“Only when you hold shit over mine. I thought we had a mutual thing going.”
“Drink this or you’re going to be responsible for handing your pregnant wife cold chocolate milk when she wanted hot.” I hand him a mug and go to get the chocolate milk out of the refrigerator to make more. “How do I go from adopted sister to twin?”
“I turned twenty-one like nine days before you. Did you forget our birthdays are close together?”
I stare at the waterfall of chocolate as I pour it in the pot. “No,” I chirp.
He laughs. “Yeah you did, and to think, when we met, I thought you’d be closer to Presley and my sister’s age.”