5
“You ready?” Jesse asks as we leave the student union on Friday, smoothies in hand. The cookie contest is tomorrow, and despite my attempts at calm, my nerves are through the roof. If I didn’t have so much to do, I’d go home and hotbox the bathroom just to settle myself down.
So much is riding on this contest. So, so much depends on it.
I take a pull from my straw and consider his question, then nod once. “I think so, yeah.”
“You’re nervous, though,” he states pointedly, surveying me with a steady gaze. I roll my eyes and puff out a breath.
“Yeah, I’m nervous as shit. I really wanna win this, and I think I’ve got a winning recipe. It’s creative and unique, but it’s also kind of classic and homey.” I take another sip from my smoothie and shrug. “I’ve put so much thought into this. And practice. And money.” Fuck, the money. “If I don’t win...”
“Don’t think like that, B. You’re gonna win.” Jesse bumps my arm lightly with his. “You’ve put in the work, and you’re talented as fuck. Those lil carrot cake cookie thingies are banging. The judges will love them.” He stops walking and turns to me. “Manifest, B. Manifest!”
Jesse gives his shoulders a little shimmy, and the corner of my mouth tips up the smallest amount. He’s such a dork. Annoys the shit out of me more often than not, too, but he’s a good guy to have in your corner. He’s a genuine hype man and he’s fiercely loyal to his friends. I’ll never admit this to his face, but I’m really glad Ivy introduced us.
“We’ll see.” I sigh. “You really like the cookies?”
“Hell yeah. Me, Kelley, and V all told you they’re great. We wouldn’t lie.”
I’ve decided to go with a carrot cake and oatmeal raison cookie as my submission for the contest. I’ve reworked the recipe three times to get the consistency I like—it’s eaten up all my free time this week—and I think I finally perfected it last night. Which is good because I have to bartend tonight, and the contest is tomorrow. Talk about cutting it close.
“Okay, well, I guess I’ve done all I can, you know?” I shrug and start walking. When my phone buzzes in my back pocket, I pull it out and check the screen. It’s a text from Alex.
“What the shit is that?” Jesse gasps, and I whip my head to him.
“What is what?” I ask. His eyes are wide, and for a minute, I’m worried that something might be wrong, until he barks a laugh.
“A smile on Ms. Bailey Barnes’s face!” He puts his hand on his chest, feigning shock, and swings his gaze from one end of the quad to another. “Is there a misogynistic frat boy being humiliated somewhere? The cancellation of a Karen?” I roll my eyes and start walking, but he doesn’t miss a beat. “Wait! Is someone handing out free smut?” He puts his hand on my shoulder, halting my steps. “Is the local biker gang finally accepting new members?”
His face is alight with humor. He’s so damn proud of himself.
“Shut it, Jesse.” I shrug his hand off my arm and say in defense, “I smile.”
“Yeah, when I stub my toe or hit my head on a door frame. I did neither of those things.”
“You’re dumb.” I huff. It is funny when he hits his head on low hanging door frames, though. You’d think being so tall, he’d have learned to duck by now.
“You’re hiding something,” he croons. “Is it a guy?”
I don’t say anything, but my face must give me away, because Jesse giggles. He fucking giggles. God, I hate him sometimes.
“Hot damn, it’s a guy. Bailey, do you have a boyfriend?”
“It’s just someone I’m talking to.” I brush it off. “It’s nothing.”
“Yeah, okay. Liar,” Jesse taunts, and I bristle. I should be used to his needling, but sometimes I still get the urge to nut check him.
We reach the end of the quad where Jesse usually goes left and I go right, and I’ve never been so thankful to see this crosswalk.
“Just drop it, J,” I press, and toss my empty smoothie cup into the metal trash bin next to the sidewalk. “Don’t make it something it’s not.”
“Yeah, okay. For now.” He throws away his own empty cup, then winks at me. “But with my recent success with Kelley and V, I’m thinking of expanding my matchmaking services.”
“Oh my god, J, stop. No.” I prop my hand on my hip and narrow my eyes at him. “First, I helped with Kelley and V, so you don’t get to bogart all the credit. Second, if you try to matchmake me, I will take a pair of scissors to all of your balls. And not just the ones made of yarn.”
Jesse’s eyes widen in mock terror, and he stumbles backward a few steps. Then he points an accusing finger in my direction. “You’re evil.”
“Yes.” I nod once and raise an eyebrow. “See you tomorrow?”
He rolls his eyes. “Duh. With bells on.”
“You better not mean that literally.” I’m serious. Jesse would totally show up to my cookie contest wearing fucking bells.
“You shall see, B.” He grins again, then throws up a peace sign and walks a few more steps backward. “Deuces.”
I just shake my head at him, turn on my heel, and walk away.
Once I’m certain Jesse didn’t double back to follow me, I check my text from Alex. It’s stupid how much my heart speeds up in anticipation. I haven’t seen him since Saturday, when I took three orgasms from him and then skipped out at the first sign of dawn, but we’ve texted nonstop. He doesn’t know that he’s earned himself an official spot in my phone contacts, and I’m not going to tell him, but I know, and that actually excites me.
Alex:How was your smoothie?
Me:Delicious and refreshing.
Alex:What did you get?
Alex:No wait.
Alex:Let me guess.
I smile and watch the bubbles dance on the screen.
Alex:Wild Berry Blast with bananas and an energy shot.