Matchmaker (Empire High #4) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,131

tried to convince me to play spin the bottle, but I had to explain the rules to him. Because he didn’t seem to realize that when there’s only one girl it’ll end up being some boy-on-boy action.”

Tanner laughed. “I’ve never played before.”

“It’s okay,” Kennedy said. “I never played before either. I was super lame in high school too.”

“Right,” agreed Tanner. “That’s exactly why I don’t know what it was like. I was just super lame.” He laughed like the idea of him being lame at any point in his life was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

I had no idea what he was up to, but hopefully whatever he said to her in private would help. And I knew he’d only mentioned spin the bottle so I could make out with Kennedy. Or maybe he really was just misinformed. He didn’t go to school in the states. Who knew what they did in…Greece? I vaguely remember him saying he’d been in Greece for high school. Or was it Germany?

“But I can’t imagine you being lame,” Tanner said. “Matt pretends he was cool in high school and he told me the two of you were friends.”

“Matt was cool,” Kennedy said. “And he only hung out with me out of obligation.”

“That’s not true.” I lightly touched her back and she didn’t push me away. “I always thought you were cool, Kennedy.”

She laughed. “No way. You were just being nice because I didn’t have any other friends my junior and senior years. You just didn’t want me to have to sit alone at lunch.” She patted my leg and let her hand linger.

That wasn’t true. I’d gotten used to eating lunch with her and Brooklyn. And I just…didn’t want to stop. But before I could correct her, James and Rob came back over.

Kennedy removed her hand from my thigh but didn’t seem to care that my hand was on her back.

“Sounds like girls’ night is ending early,” James said. “Penny will be home any minute. So you guys better…down those shots?” he said looking at the coffee table. “Since when were we doing shots?”

“They’re actually only for Matt,” Mason said.

“No way. Which one of them is sick?” I asked.

Rob laughed. “How did you know that? Liam and RJ are both fussy. Daphne thinks their tummies are upset.”

“Boom,” I said. “Drink up.” I pointed to Mason.

“Fuck.” Mason shook his head, but started downing shot after shot.

“What the heck did we miss?” James asked.

“Mason bet me that your wives were calling because Liam pulled Sophie’s hair again.”

Mason cringed on the fourth shot but kept going.

“And I bet it was because one of them had a tummy ache. I won.”

Mason slammed the last glass down on the coffee table. “Bee’s going to be so pissed that I’m coming home this drunk. Well, not this drunk. Drunk as in drunk me 15 minutes from now.” He coughed. “I’m pretty sure that tequila is in my veins.”

Kennedy laughed. “In my defense, I thought we were each going to take a shot. I didn’t know you guys were making a bet.”

The front door opened. “Daddy!” Scarlett called from the hallway. “Liam’s doing the burping thing!”

James laughed. “Excuse me for a sec. Liam has the cutest burps.”

“Gross,” I said.

James lightly slapped the back of my head as he made his way past me. After a few seconds, Scarlett came running into the room. Heading right for me.

“Uncle Matt, Uncle Matt!” She ran into the great room and climbed up onto my lap. “I got to eat chocolate cake tonight! A whole piece all on my own. This big.” She showed me with her hands how big the ginormous slice of cake she’d eaten was. She seemed…very hyped up on sugar. “You should’ve seen it.” She turned to look at Kennedy and then ducked under my arm to hide from her. “Who is she?”

Kennedy smiled. “I’m a friend of your uncle’s.”

“Which one?” Scarlett asked from her hiding spot.

“Matt. Well, all of them, actually.”

“It’s okay, kiddo,” I said and ruffled her hair. “Kennedy’s really nice. How about you come say hi to her.”

Scarlett shook her head.

“For me? Please?”

Scarlett peered out. “So you’re my aunt?”

“Oh.” Kennedy laughed. “No.”

“But all my other uncles are married. So that means you’re dating Uncle Matt. Which means you’re my aunt. It’s nice to meet you.” She sat back down on my lap, her fear of Kennedy completely gone.

“Your uncle and I are just friends.”

“No.”

Kennedy laughed. “Yes we are.”

“No, boys and girls can’t be just friends. That’s what