The Envy of Idols (Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #3) - C.M. Stunich Page 0,91

and reach out to take her hand.

“I knew you weren’t interested in me like that,” she whispers as Creed and I exchange a look. “But I … at least I had hope before. Even if it was just a shred. But now that you guys have … god, eww. I’m sorry, but now that you’ve been together, I know it’s never happening. Not ever.”

“Mandy,” Creed whispers, and it’s so sweet and affectionate that I almost melt into a puddle. “Marnye and I both love you. We didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know,” she whispers, looking guiltily down at her lap. “It’s just … I want someone to look at me the way you two look at each other.” My cheeks flame red, and I stutter to come up with the right response. Do Creed and I really look at each other a special sort of way?

“Miranda, you’re seventeen,” he says with a small chuckle. “You have plenty of time to find a girl that cares about you. Don’t rush it.”

“Mom and Dad met in high school,” she says, sighing, sunshine slanting across her beautiful face. “You believe in young love, too. I know how you feel about Marnye.” Creed’s cheeks darken with color, but he lifts his chin in the most infuriatingly arrogant way possible.

“You will find someone who loves you more than the moon,” he says, and it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard in my life … said in the most arrogant way possible. I’m not sure if I love him or hate him in that moment. Maybe a little bit of both? “And if you don’t, you always have me. I’m your fucking twin. We’re inseparable. You’re stuck with me for life. You know that, right?”

Miranda nods and sighs, glancing over at me and then attempting a miserable looking hair flip. Yep, she still sucks at it.

“At least I hope he treated you well,” she says, and I nod, feeling myself getting all teary, too. “I told him if he slept with you, and he blew his load as fast as he did in the hot tub, you’d never pick him and he’d be alone forever.”

Laughter escapes my through as Creed scowls and rolls his eyes.

“I’ll have you know, I made her come before I finished. I bet you’ve never made a girl orgasm.”

“You guys are definitely twins,” I choke out through the embarrassment. “Crude as hell, and I love you both for it.”

“Whatever. If I can’t have you, Marnye, then you know I’m Team Creed all the way. Just dump those other assholes, and marry into the Cabots. My mom already loves you.” My heart feels light and giddy, and yet heavy and pained, all at the same time.

Just dump them, she says.

But it’s not that easy; it never is.

Winter break feels so long without my friends around. They’re becoming a second family to me, and I’m already longing for another group holiday like we had for my birthday at the bowling alley. I text the guys every day, Miranda, Lizzie, and Andrew included, and I try to find some way to tell my dad I’ve finally got a boyfriend.

Or … five boyfriends, actually.

He seems so much sicker than before though, and I’m afraid to stress him out, so I take the coward’s route and say nothing. At least for now. I know I can’t keep my relationships hidden forever, but at least for those two weeks, I just enjoy his company. Those little moments—playing videogames with him in the living room, listening to him read The Night Before Christmas aloud, and making Christmas cookies together—those are the things I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Missing your body already, Creed sends on Christmas Eve, and I bite my lip, turning my phone screen off before Dad and I have one of those awkward over-the-shoulder text reading moments.

“What time is your friend coming?” he asks, and then we both pause as a knock sounds on the door. I open it to find Windsor, bundled up in a shiny coat with fur trim, wearing a grin and dragging a suitcase in one hand, a duffel bag slung over the opposite shoulder.

“Come in, Your Majesty,” I purr (or at least try to, I sort of suck at it), opening the door and gesturing him into the house. I only had one day in person with the guys before break started, so I’m still not exactly sure how they all feel about the sex thing. It hasn’t come up