Page 63 of Tell Me I'm Enough

“Help,” she says, pointing to a high cabinet. “Joy keeps the cooling racks where only tall people can reach them.”

I help her step back and then grab them for her. “You want them here or on the island?”

“Counter,” she says. “The island’s infected with Tank.”

“Infectious charm,” Tank shouts from across the room, now doing a very serious attempt at scooping cookie dough with a measuring spoon. It drips like lava, and Joy confiscates it from his hands, sighing.

When the kitchen stops smoking and the last tray goes in, someone dims the lights, and everyone starts to move into the living room.

I rinse one last bowl and dry my hands, then head into the room, hopping over the back of the big couch. I land between Simone and Paige, and Simone arches a brow like she wasn’t sure if I’d meant to sit with them.

“Personal space,” she warns.

“I’m compact,” I say, stretching out anyway.

“Your ego isn’t.”

“Rude.”

Ryan drops down next to Ava and kisses her temple. She melts into him, and someone makes a gagging noise.

“Knock it off,” Simone teases. “I’m getting jealous over here.”

Ava grins. “When’s that boyfriend of yours visiting again, Edwards?”

Simone tries not to blush and fails. “Soon, actually.”

“Good,” Ava says. “You deserve a…release.”

The girls start laughing as someone gets the movie rolling.

She has a boyfriend…okay, cool, noted.

I mean, I don’t really care about picturing them having sex. But I don’t really care to picture anyone’s sex life if it’s not my own.

I prop my arms on the back of the couch, getting comfortable. They land behind both Simone and Paige, neither of them saying anything. My feet have nowhere else to go, and the ottoman is too far away, so I lift them onto Simone’s lap.

She pushes them off instantly. “Absolutely not.”

I try to hold in my laugh and give her a confused look. “What are friends for if not to be useful in times of need?”

“Since when are we friends?” she asks, tilting her head and smiling.

I look over her shoulder at my watch and then back to her. “Since about two hours ago, when you were in my car shouting out Taylor Swift lyrics and feeding me ice cream.”

She lets out a laugh. “I did notfeed you. You stole it.”

I wave her off. “Same thing.”

She huffs.

“Fine…” she says, looking me over. “Friends.”

I nod. “Friends.”

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Simone