Page 96 of Badd B*tch

"I didn't mean it."

"Yes, you did. A little birdie told me you and Kieran were getting cozy."

She wrinkled her nose. "We were just talking while we got candy bars." She flourished a Three Musketeers. "And I was being silly. About the marrying thing, I mean."

"Are you trying to convince yourself or me?” I asked.

"Just…you shushy." She pinched my lips together. "No more talky. I just came to tell you that, um, Kieran's family—" She frowned, trying to recall names, which she wasn't very good at. "The big, big guy. Starts with a B."

"Baxter, " I prompted.

"Right. And his mom, Eva, and his siblings…Shit. Shit. Merrick, and…and something with an E. Ella? Elaine? Ella. There's another sister. Annie? Anna?" She said it AHN-uh. "No, Anya." AHN-yuh.

"What about them?"

"Oh! Right. I'm staying in their basement. You're staying with your boyfriend at his family's house. Apparently, they live a few blocks apart."

"You're staying in the same house as Kieran, on whom you have a crush."

"I do not!" she protested, too loudly.

Jax stirred, and I clapped a hand over her mouth. "Fine, you don't," I hissed. "Just be quiet! And behave yourself, Tania."

"Oh, that won't be a problem," she whispered. "This family is even crazier than I am, and that’s really saying something." She widened her eyes and crossed them so she looked as batshit as she usually was; I’m kidding…mostly. "This is gonna be fun!"

I covered my face. "Oh boy. Here we go." I pointed at her. "If things start happening, you need to break up with your current boyfriend."

Tania frowned. "Jake! Oh my God. I forgot about him. We had a date planned for—" She looked at her smartwatch. "An hour ago. Fuck! I never called him to tell him what happened.”

I bit my lip. "If you forgot about a date with your boyfriend…”

"I was worried about my sister!" she hissed. "He’s not that forgettable."

"Do you even know his last name?" I asked.

"Duh," she said, with a Valley Girl accent and head wiggle. "Of the Southern Isles."

I let out a sigh. "Okay, when you start busting out the Disney quotes, I'm done."

"But you know what it is!"

"Because you made me watch it with you a billion times."

"It's a good movie!"

"We were in high school."

"So? Animated movies can and should be enjoyed by humans of all ages, not just children. And Frozen is a timeless tale of sisterly and sacrificial love. And you liked it."

"I did not."

"I mean, it's crazy, we finish each other's—"

"Sandwiches," I dutifully supplied.

"I'm tired of whispering so I'm gonna go," Tania said. "But you liked Frozen. You stopped scrolling Instagram to watch it with me every—single—time."

I clapped a palm to her face and pushed playfully. "Go on. Just don't start any more family feuds."