Page 42 of Dirty Little Secret
“You insulted your best friend.”
Looking over his shoulder at where Finn was seated, Max shrugs. “It’s the truth. He did sleep with that chick.”
“Did you ever think maybe he regretted it? Or at least wasn’t proud of it? That talking about it was disrespectful? I know you’ve slept with a fewladiesthat you’d rather not talk about. Put yourself in his shoes for a second. Would you want him to air all your dirty laundry?”
“You’re always defending him,” Max says, jumping up and standing close enough I can feel his breath on the tip of my nose. “Is there really something going on between you two, Lo? Because if there is—”
“If therewas, I’m not obligated to tell you shit, Max. This is my life.”
“Are you kidding me? You’re seeing my best friend?”
“I didn’t say that. I said if I wanted to, I could, and there is nothing you could say or do about it to change the situation.”
“That’s rich, Willow. You want me to start dating your friends now? Kendall’s single, right? We can double date. Have sleepovers. Is that what you want?”
Vivid images of Kendall and Max screaming at each other in the middle of a restaurant bring a smile to my face, and before I can stop myself, I’m laughing. I can’t even blame it on the alcohol either.
“This isn’t funny!”
“Yes,” I huff out. “Yes, it is. Because you and Kendall would kill each other. The sex would probably be hot, a hate fuck for sure, but I doubt you’d make it that far before trying to strangle the life out of each other.”
Max groans and turns to walk away but stops when I grab his hand and pull him into a hug. As soon as my laughter subsides, I whisper in his ear.
“I love you, Maxy. You’re my big brother, and I know you care about me. You want to protect me from all the ugly in this world and shelter me from heart break. I appreciate it, but I’m a big girl. I can protect myself and make my own decisions.”
“Are you dating Finn? Please don’t lie to me, Willow. If you two are together, for real, in love, together, together, I have a right to know.”
Are we?
Together, together?
We haven’t had that conversation. I mean, not exactly. He’s said some things and I’ve agreed with them, but maybe it’s time we have a sit-down discussion about what we are. About what we mean to each other.
“Honestly,” I start, pulling back but holding him at arm’s length, “I don’t know. I care about Finn, and he cares about me. We’re friends. We hang out and have fun. If we ever decide to betogether together,as you put it, you’ll be the first person I call. But just to be clear, it won’t be to ask for permission. And if it ever happens, I expect you to be happy about it because he is your best friend in the world and a decision like that won’t be made without serious thought.”
Max searches my eyes for the truth. Well, I just gave it to him. Because as soon as Finn and I sit down and hash it all out, I know we’re going to have to tell Max.
Not ask, tell him we’re together.
What’s the saying?It’s better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.
Well, I have no intention of doing either. Because I’m not sorry about the way I feel about Finn, and I have a feeling he’s not sorry either.
“I can’t believe you basically told him we were together,” Finn confesses as he walks me up to my apartment.
The entire drive home I was trying to find a way to prepare Finn for how Max might react when he gets home today. When the tall buildings of downtown finally came into view, the words spilled out. Not as eloquently as I would have liked either. It was more like word vomit as I rushed to warn him about the conversation Max and I had last night.
“You basically did the same. Maybe it’s a good thing. At least it won’t come as a complete shock when we tell him now.”
“So, you think we should come clean?” he probes as I open the door to my apartment only to be greeted with Kendall’s naked backside.
“Holy shit!” I holler before pushing Finn back into the hall and slamming the door behind us.
I can hear Kendall on the other side of the door, shouting orders at someone, cursing at herself.
“That looked an awful lot like—”
“Don’t say it. I know exactly what was going on in there.”