Page 29 of Good For Me

“Keep dreaming,” I say cheerily, because Tommy is a notorious flirt and he’s been trying to get in my pants since we were teenagers.

“It was Friday,” Brie tells him, then turns to Chris. “Apparently our Jassy celebrated by dumping the asshole.”

“You dumped him?” my cousin practically yelps. “Thank fuck, Jas. That guy was the worst.”

I glare at Brie. This is the other bad thing about your best friend getting engaged to your cousin—they tell each other everything.

“It’s not a big deal,” I mutter, not at all pleased with the attention. There’s no way in hell I’m telling this group of guys what I walked in on. Logically, I know that Kurt’s stupid actions are not my fault, but it’s hard not to feel a sharp stab of embarrassment every time I think about his betrayal. How had I been so stupid, to stay with him for so long?

“Does that mean you and I can get married now?” Tommy asks.

“Sure,” I say easily. “We can be in Vegas by what? Ten? You’re driving.”

He grins at me. “You’re joking, but I would take you up on that in two seconds flat.”

Miles, another of my cousin’s friends, speaks up from the beanbag he’s sprawled on. “Pretty sure any guy in this room would jump at that chance, babe.”

Chris leans forward to smack him on the back of the head. “Stop trying to hook up with my cousin.”

“I’m not trying to hook up!” Miles cries, rubbing his head. “I literally just proposed marriage, dude. Jas can be my ball and chain any day of the week.”

“You’d be the ball and chain in that scenario, man,” Derek adds, then turns a wicked grin in my direction. “Since we’re clearly all way below your standards, Jassy, I won’t propose. But I will say this—you call me if you need a rebound, okay? No strings, no pressure, just fun.”

I feel heat rushing to my cheeks. Aren’t those basically the words I said to River last night? I hadn’t come right out and called him a rebound, but the insinuation was pretty clear.

“No way!” Tommy shouts. “If Jassy wants a rebound, I’ve got dibs.”

This time Miles smacks him. “You can’t call dibs on a person, dumbass. Besides, she’d obviously pick me for a rebound first.”

“How do you know she hasn’t had a rebound already?” Brie asks, eyeing me in an appraising way I don’t like at all. Damn it. She noticed me blush. She’s totally on to me.

“Can we go now?” I say, trying to pretend like I don’t see the knowing look on her face. “I’ve had more than enough baseball and testosterone for one afternoon.”

There’s a chorus of boos but Brie finally jumps up from Chris’s lap. “I might stay over,” she tells him. “I have a feeling many margaritas are going to happen tonight.”

He pouts up at her. “Call me and I’ll come pick you up. You know I can never sleep when you’re not home.”

I make a show of gagging at his sappiness, but it’s just a cover. The truth is, seeing the way the two of them love each other stings a little more than usual this weekend. No one has ever needed me the way they need each other. No one has ever loved me like that. Kurt most definitely didn’t.

And, if I’m being honest, it’s hard to imagine that anyone ever will.