Page 71 of The Overtime Persuasive

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. May I present the first item of evidence.” She indicates toward Eva’s lips, then to my mouth. “Her lipstick is all over you.”

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand while Eva covers her face, and Lucy makes a delighted squealing sound.

“This is so much better than what I thought in my mind.”

“Please stop,” Eva says.

“I can’t help it. I love this for me. Okay, for you as well, but I get the best of both worlds.” Lucy looks between us again. Beneath the excitement, her expression softens. “Is this why you were acting weird after the game?”

“We weren’t acting weird,” I say.

She laughs. “You were standing six inches apart and pretending there wasn’t like, tiny fireworks snapping between the two of you.”

Eva folds her arms. “We don’t know what this is. Yet.”

“But it’s something?” Lucy asks.

I look at Eva. She looks back at me, and the fear that’s been sitting beneath my ribs shifts.

“It’s something,” I say.

Eva’s smile comes slowly. “Yeah. It is.”

Lucy presses her hands to her chest. “Oh, I love this.”

“Do not make it weird,” Eva warns her.

“I’m not making anything weird. You two were the ones making out in the closet.”

“Before I ask you to wipe that from your brain’s hard drive, I want to show you this.” Eva heads to the front counter, waving Lucy to follow, and presents the laptop to her. “I submitted the contest entry.”

Lucy’s mouth drops open for an entirely different reason. “You did?”

Eva jumps in place, and smacks her arm gleefully. “I did.”

Lucy rushes behind the counter and throws her arms around Eva. “I’m so proud of you. You’re going to win.”

Eva laughs. “You cannot say that.”

“I can, and I did.” Lucy releases her, then points toward me. “We need to celebrate.”

“We were,” I begin, letting my eyes wander back to the closet as Lucy gags.

“I was thinking champagne or cupcakes.”

“Liam brought dinner,” Eva interrupts. “Why don’t you eat with us, then if you’re both helping me do the boxes tonight, I can really go home early.”

“Even better,” Lucy says, her grin returning at full strength. “You’re both aware of how unbearable I’m going to be about this, right?”

“Yes,” we answer together.

Eva leans against my side, and I slip my hand into hers where Lucy can see it. Her triumphant squeal nearly shakes the windows.

One thing at a time.

First, we survive my sister.

CHAPTER 16