The Best Mistake - Cookie O'Gorman Page 0,17

all over a pair of panties.” At Charlie’s glare, he was quick to add, “A very nice, hot pair. They were just so colorful and right there out in the open. I was just curious and couldn’t seem to help myself. You understand, right?”

Charlie sniffed. “I understand that you have no self-control, are completely ruled by your impulses and probably run after anything in a short skirt.”

“Finally,” Dex said, the left side of his lip, the one with the scar, pulling up in a grin, “a chick that actually gets it.”

“I love you, Bay,” Emmy said with a smile, “but you gotta admit. That’s pretty accurate.”

Baylor nodded. “Oh, I see how it is. So much for family loyalty.”

And there it was.

Proof of what I’d been secretly dreading. This was Emmy’s family. Emilia, my new roommate, was an O’Brien. Which meant…

I was so screwed.

“Where do you want these?”

A new girl appeared then, walking into the living room, followed by what had to be another O’Brien brother. He had all the same attributes as the others: dark brown hair, piercing gray eyes, nice bone structure—though his face was a bit softer, still holding onto a hint of baby fat. And I hadn’t seen him out on the baseball field the other day.

“You’re my best friend, Emmy, and I love you,” the new girl added. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She wore a baseball t-shirt and jeans, no makeup and had a smile like sunshine. “But seriously, did you have to bring everything you own? I told you already I don’t think it’s all going to fit in here.”

Emmy shrugged. “You never know what you’ll need, June.”

June shook her head. “But all those books, your entire wardrobe and your movie collection?”

Emmy shrugged again. “I might get bored. I mean, my best friend decided to stay at home instead of renting a place with me, so…”

“Yeah, that wasn’t really by choice,” June said. “But it’s fine. I’ll still see you tons, and we’ll hopefully have some classes together. But let’s return to your crazy amount of stuff. Finn here’s already complaining about his back,” she added, patting the guy next to her between the shoulder blades.

“I was not,” the guy, Finn, blushed, which was so adorable. He was carrying a large suitcase and a lamp while the blonde girl had a smaller suitcase. “Despite my appearance, June, I can outlift any of these guys.”

Dex and Baylor scoffed, started to rib Finn, but Charlie just sighed.

“You see, Honor,” she said, holding out a hand to encompass the room. “Testosterone and Magnolia House just do not mix. This is why we never allow men into our sacred, private lady space.”

Baylor smiled at that. “I’d like to get to know your lady space. Privately.”

Everyone in the room seemed to let out a collective groan—except the new girl, June. I’d been looking between her and Finn and noticed her tense.

“You want to go out sometime?” Baylor went on, eyeing Charlie.

June seemed to be waiting with bated breath. There was obviously something going on there, I thought. I really hoped Charlie didn’t go against character here. Baylor was so not her type. Plus, he seemed to have an admirer in June despite his playboy ways.

The girl had hearts in her eyes for goodness sakes—not that Baylor seemed to notice.

“Aw shoot, but you’ve already seen my best panties.” Charlie shook her head in feigned dismay. “The mystery is totally gone. What would we even have to talk about?”

Baylor threw Charlie a wink. “Oh, I’m sure we could find something.”

That move might’ve worked on ladies all over campus but not my bestie.

“I’ll pass, but thanks,” she said.

“Your loss.” Baylor shrugged, and June visibly relaxed. “So Emmy, the boxes, where do want them?”

Before she could answer, a door opened, and Rose poked her head out of her room.

“What’s going on in here?” she said, clad in her silk pajama set and open comfy robe. Her words were raspy with sleep. “Everything okay? I heard voices.”

“Everything’s fine,” I said.

“Yeah,” Charlie added for the first time looking a bit sheepish. “Sorry for waking you, Rose. I know you’ve got to get some sleep.”

“S’okay,” Rose covered her mouth on a yawn. “But if it’s all good, I’m going back to bed. See you ladies again when I’m not so dead.”

“Sweet dreams,” I said as she shut the door.

All was quiet a moment—and then suddenly the sound of something hitting the floor broke the silence.

We all looked to the source of the