Page 76 of Vegas with my Ex’s Best Friends

He huffs a laugh. “There she is.”

Ethan's mouth twitches. “She's been saving the sarcasm for when we're all in one room. Noted.”

Liam shakes his head, but his eyes are soft when they land on me. “You two done flirting?”

I grin at him. “Jealous?”

“Always,” he says simply, and the honesty in it makes heat creep up my neck.

I order the kit while they hover. The confirmation email pings a few minutes later. Discreet packaging. Seven-day turnaround.

The box arrives the next afternoon.

We gather at the kitchen table after dinner. No one suggests moving. The table feels like ours now.

Andrew drops the plain white envelope in the center. “Let's get this over with before I chicken out.”

“You?” I tease. “Mr. I-stared-down-a-poker-table-full-of-sharks? Please.”

He shoots me a look that's half warning, half heat. “Keep talking, sweetheart. See what happens.”

Ethan opens the envelope and lays everything out. Four swabs, instructions, return mailer.

I pick up the first one. My fingers feel a little shaky.

Liam notices. “You don't have to go first.”

“I want to,” I say. Before I lose my nerve.

I swipe the inside of my cheek, drop it in the tube, and seal it with a dramatic click. “Your turn, boys.”

Andrew goes next, muttering that this feels weirder than getting a tattoo. Liam follows, quiet but sure. Ethan last, calm and precise as always.

We label them together.

“Of course yours looks typed,” Andrew mutters, watching Ethan print his name in clean block letters.

“It's legible,” Ethan says. “You should try it sometime.”

“It's a cheek swab, not a wedding invitation.”

Liam leans in with his own label and bears down so hard the pen nearly tears through it.

“Easy, caveman,” Andrew says.

“I like a firm grip.” Liam still doesn't look up. “Riley can confirm.”

I throw a balled-up instruction sheet at his head. He catches it without looking.

I sit back and watch them bicker like they've been doing this forever.

It feels nice. Stupidly nice.

Too nice.

As if I’m memorizing something I’ll want back later.

I fold the paperwork. Slide everything into the prepaid envelope.