“Relax. I’m just—“
“Keeping tabs on him? Whipped? In denial that you’re in love with him and have been since forever?”
Zora ignored Oli and read Mike’s message as a second one popped up on the screen.
Mike: #2 You suck at lying. lol
Mike: First off, if you ever plan on beating me at this game, the two truths should not be glaringly obvious. lol. Your life and your career are food, so I already knew number one was true. But, for the record, haggis is disgusting. No clue how you’re going to mix Scottish and Creole food into one book. Second, if Ev and Soph weren’t screwing like rabbits, I’d be worried they were calling off the engagement. Where are you?
Oli grabbed for the phone, but Zora yanked it back. “What did he say?”
“Mind your own business. Go back to sending your little mysterious texts.” Zora giggled and attempted to unscrew the lines of her face to give Oli a pointed look, but it did not deter the woman with balls of steel.
“Seriously, what did he say?”
Zora bit the inside of her cheek because she was dying to show Oli, but she liked to see her sweat, too. After a few seconds, Zora flashed the screen to her and Oli burst out laughing. “I love you Zo, but he’s right. You really can’t lie for shit.”
“What?”
“Dummmmb,” she dragged out the word. “Even if he did think the haggis thing was a lie, why did you include me in it? Literally, my motto…my mission…my mantra is to never be home on a Friday night. The day I cuddle up on your couch on a Friday night fantasizing about the Upside Down is the day I’m officially old.”
Dammit, I knew that was too easy.
Zora yanked the phone back.
“And don’t tell him where you are. Why does he care?” Oli asked.
As if to underscore Oli’s rant and rub it in, the phone pinged yet again. Almost word for word, Mike reiterated the point about Oli’s Friday night motto then listed his own three truth-lie options before sending another message.
Mike: BTW, congrats on the lit agent. I’ll buy you a round when I see you.
Zora: Thanks!!! I still can’t even believe it.
Beaming, Zora went back to check out his latest three truth-lie options. She could feel the heat of Oli’s eyes blazing down on the screen as she tried to read.
“Shhh.” She waved her away. “I can’t hear myself think with you hovering like that.”
“When you make your choice, will you please put the phone away before you ruin the whole night?” Oli folded her arms. Now, her tone was more serious than playfully pissed.
Why is she being so touchy about the phone?
Zora had no clue, but just when she was about to delve deeper into it, the corner of Oli’s mouth lifted. “I want you to have some bubbly, get loose, and maybe try Andre on for size…pun intended.”
“Gross.”
“You have a book agent and a hot guy chilling on ice waiting for you to uncork him.” A squeal escaped her lips as she held up her hand for a high five.
Reluctantly, Zora slapped her hand, but Oli held onto it for a second.
“Besides, I swear you and Mike act like freaking two-year-olds—truth, lies. It’s all the same thing. I just wish you guys would go ahead and smash again. Then you can decide whether he’s worth all this torment and angst you’ve been putting yourself through. Or, maybe give someone else a chance. You’re adults now. It’s safe to stop playing games.”
“I’m not listening to you.” A giggle spilled out, but Zora only shook her head.
“Fine. Don’t admit it, but Andre does kind of remind me of Mike. He’s also a light skinned, baby faced, full-lipped brother, but less cerebral and brooding and more swaggalicious. He’s a little bit taller…and a doctor,” she said as if she was waiting for applause.
Zora peeked up over her brows. “Not following…”
“Think of the role playing you could do!” She swooned. “Plus, you are so fierce tonight. You’re like a sleek, tall, Amazon bombshell dipped in bronze. Seriously, that dress never looked as good on me.”
Zora snickered. “’Fierce’ isn’t exactly the word I’d use. Between this tight dress and these heels, I don’t even know what to say.” She shook her head in disbelief through a fit of giggles. “If Andre is so fine, why aren’t you still with him?”
Come on, tequila, kick in.
Before Oli could answer, Zora dropped her gaze back to her phone and typed the number three followed by a long-nosed liar emoji.
“You know he’s way more your type than mine.” Oli grunted. “Anyway, you can’t stop texting Mike for a night? The only lie is the one you guys keep telling yourselves. You’ve been holding each other at arms’ length for I don’t know how long. Why can’t you just tell him how you feel and see what happens? It can’t be that bad.”
“Because I don’t know if that’s how I feel.” They’d been over this. Innocent flirting and hanging out was one thing. Going after him, being vulnerable... That was another thing completely.
Anxiety and irritation were affecting her words.
“I just…I like what we have. It’s fun and comfortable and uncomplicated.” And perfect. He’s perfect. “I don’t want to mess it up, and I don’t want all that awkward insecurity and second-guessing. We’re friends…practically family.” The inflection in her voice rose to a high-pitched squeak when she said “family.”
Oli covered her mouth with a fist and pointed at her. “Ooh, now there’s a lie—a bold-faced lie.”
Zora sighed and shrugged, but Oli’s gaze narrowed.
“Yeah. Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that. I have an eye for this sort of thing. The way you act around each other? I should snap a picture to let you both in on it.”
Shit.
The thing about falling for a guy before hitting puberty is it has a way of ruining it for everyone else down the line. Oli knew it. Whether Zora wanted to admit it or not, she knew it, too. It certainly didn’t make matters any better he was her brother’s best friend.
“Look, let us be. We’re good the way we are. We’re just…having fun together. I don’t want or need a man.”
“Is that the story you’re sticking with?”
“Yes, and anyway, I don’t need any distractions. My agent—” Zora giggled at the way it sounded so surreal on her tongue. “She gave me twelve weeks to get this book ready. She wants me to find my niche and come up with a new title to go along with the pictures, recipes, and personal stories. I really don’t need a man right now.”
Well, maybe for a few things that didn’t require her to buy batteries in bulk at Costco, but, no, really, she didn’t want a man at the moment. Especially, if it isn’t Mike.
Oli turned and grabbed Zora’s hands, squeezing as she deepened her gaze. “Fine. Whatever, but just for tonight, let’s lose ourselves.”
Oh, just…lose ourselves. No big deal. Nothing to write home about.
Except that it was for Zora.