Nerdy (Unexpected Lovers, #2) - J.B. Heller Page 0,9

minutes ago. You were so engrossed in your phone that you didn’t hear us.”

“Oh,” I murmur.

Atticus is grinning like he knows something I don’t, and I narrow my eyes at him.

“What?” I snap.

“Nothing,” he says, sliding his free arm around Kins’ waist.

She smiles up at him and leans into his side. “So,” she says, “what was that look about? Who are you texting?”

“Oh, umm…” I nibble on my bottom lip for a moment then tell them, “The author I’m interviewing. The one I told you about, who made me get up before the sun the other day.”

Kinsley’s eyes widen. She pulls away from Atticus and drops onto the couch beside me, clamping a hand over my knee. “Are you into women now? How did I not know this?”

Atticus chokes on his wine. He coughs, his eyes watering as his fist thumps against his broad chest. “Sorry,” he says when he’s regained control of himself. “Ah, should I leave you two alone or…?”

I throw my head back and laugh.

Kins frowns. “Why are you laughing?”

“I’m just going to, ah… I’ll wait in your room, Kins,” Atticus says, then he turns and strides toward the short hallway that leads to our bedrooms.

“S. Bailey,” I chuckle, “is a man.”

“Oh,” Kins murmurs. “I thought you said you were meeting up with a woman…”

I grin and nod. “I did. I had no idea he was a he until I got there.”

“So, just to be clear, you’re not into chicks?” my roomie asks, a skeptical look on her pretty face. “’Cause that would be totally fine. You know Lenny and I wouldn’t judge you.”

Rolling my eyes, I pass her my phone, showing her my text thread. “His name is Sebastian, and as you can see, he is the proud owner of a penis.”

Kins’ eyes scan my cell screen as she reads our conversation, a smile slowly rising on her lips. “Well, okay then,” she finally says, handing my phone back to me. “Now I’m wondering if you’re interviewing him as a potential boyfriend or as an author?”

I shrug and smirk. “Why not both?”

It takes Emory a hell of a lot longer than usual to reply to my proposal, and I haven’t even told her what it is yet. Maybe it was stupid to think that just because she’s flirting with me over text that she’d be willing to do me a favor.

I scratch at the scruff on my jaw then adjust my glasses. I’m tempted to tell her to forget about it, but I don’t. If she says yes, it will get Storm off my back and give me someone to rub in Jayla’s face.

My bedroom door bangs open, and Everly’s little body climbs up the end of the bed, then she body-slams me. “Wake up! Wake up, Bash!” She giggles as I pretend to be sound asleep.

“Baaashhhh,” she calls right in my face, her itty-bitty hands clutching at my cheeks. “Wake up!”

I pop my eyes open at the same time as I dig my fingers into her ribs and tickle her. She squeals and throws her head back, then she attempts to wriggle away from me.

When I finally stop tickling Ever, she sighs contentedly and snuggles into my side. “You’re da best, Bash,” she says, smiling up at me.

I could never give this up.

I’m about to dive back into tickling her when my phone dings with a new text. I roll to my side and pick it up from the floor where it fell after Ever body-slammed me. Emory’s name on the screen has a new kind of smile curving my lips.

EMORY: I’m down, depending on what exactly the favor entails. Also, I get to determine the value of said favor.

SEBASTIAN: Meet me on Monday. We can go over the details in person.

EMORY: I can do Monday, but I am not getting up with the sun again.

SEBASTIAN: Fine, you can meet me at my place. 148 Cusack Cres. Can I safely assume 9 a.m. is a reasonable time for you?

EMORY: Ugh, fine. I suppose that’s doable.

I grin then drop my phone back to the floor and roll over to resume tickle-torture on little Miss Everly, who screeches as I approach.

Monday morning arrives faster than I’d thought it would. Storm kept me busy on Sunday, helping her and Jake pick out random shit for the wedding, like place cards and the right color for the napkins.

Now, I’m home with the girls, waiting for Emory to arrive. I’m a little nervous about her coming here and seeing who