First

‘Maya? Who is it?’

I freeze at the familiar voice and fix my friend with a look. She flushes, but stands back out of my way. This isn’t happening.

‘Baby, come back to bed.’

I shall not have this shit.

‘You arrogant, hypocritical bastard!’ I rage as I slam my way into Maya’s bedroom.

Should have given him some warning first.

‘Oh, God! Don’t look!’ Jake yells, grabbing for a pillow at the same moment I whirl in horror, flinging my hands over my eyes and begging, ‘Cover it up! Cover it up!’

I scrub the heels of my hands against my closed eyelids as if it would scour the image from my memory. ‘Why are you naked? No, wait, don’t tell me. I can figure it out.’

Maya’s come back, still flushed, but not as embarrassed as I’d suspect. I think I’m in shock. ‘My brother is in your bed.’

‘Yes, he is.’

‘So when you mentioned this mystery man months ago, you meant Jake?’

‘I tried to tell you a few times. This week even.’

I flip through my memory, searching desperately. Finally, I hit on it. ‘The day we were talking about Dally not wanting to be my first—’

Jake starts to protest from the bed, but I snap my fingers at him and order, ‘You, shut up.’

I look back at Maya, shamefaced. ‘I was obsessing and you were trying to tell me and I am such a horrible friend!’

‘I love you,’ she promises. ‘And I knew I’d be able to tell you at some point.’

I try to wrap my mind around it. ‘How did this happen?’

She looks back at Jake and a smile spreads over her face. ‘I’m not sure. For a while there, I really hated him. But there was the fire that happened when you were at the conference …’

Jake’s voice is husky when he adds, ‘And once I knew how she felt, there was no chance in hell of her getting away.’

‘Oh gross,’ I mutter as I look back and forth between them. ‘You two are totally in love, aren’t you?’

Maya laughs and nods. I hug her, careful to make sure the sheet stays in place. ‘I’m so happy for you.’

‘What about me?’ Jake asks.

I glare at him. ‘You are so far down my shit list you shouldn’t bother looking up to see the sun. I cannot believe you, Jake Jacobs! You beat Dally to a bloody pulp on the suspicion that he’s sleeping with me. And you order him to move out when he’s honest and admits he would sleep with me after you set him up with that question. And the entire time, you’re playing house with my best friend?’

Jake turns a dull shade of red. ‘Cat—’

Maya’s been listening to me intently. Her shrewd gaze lands on Jake now. ‘You kicked him out of the house? Dallas. Your best friend. Gone, just like that? Because he said he’d sleep with Catherine when you asked him point blank if he would?’

‘Maya, please—’

Maya’s on a roll. ‘Of course he’d admit he would sleep with her. Anyone who has two eyes could see that. He’s been in love with her for years.’

Jake looks confused. ‘What?’

I don’t know how she manages it, but somehow Maya holds up her sheet and puts a hand on her hip with so much attitude that Jake wilts.

‘Dallas Miller has been in love with Catherine since he got back from Arizona, you idiot.’