Cursed. Right. What the heck did Taylen mean about the brooch being cursed?
I leap off the bed, leaving my lazy, lazy dog still passed out next to all my luggage. I rush to the bathroom, grasp the door handle, and push. I didn’t hear Taylen lock it, but I do hear the sink running, so he’s probably trying to wash the blood off his foot. I push gently, but the door is old, and it ends up looking like I’m pushy and forceful as I ram it straight into Taylen’s gut. He’s just standing there, running the water. Or at least he was until I slammed a doorknob into his stomach.
“Oomph,” he grunts. “Christ. That hurt more than my foot.” He rubs the sore spot on his stomach while I stuff myself inside the small space. I slam the lid down on the pink toilet and sit down. The bathtub and the sink are also pink—a pink area of retro awesomeness. The floor is white linoleum flecked with pink flowers, and the wallpaper is creamy with pink blooms smeared across it too.
“What did you mean? About the curse? The thing’s cursed? And your granny gave it to me?” I find my voice wavering just a little. This is a wild conversation to be having first thing in the morning when we’re both still half asleep.
Taylen tries to pass it off as nothing with a shrug, but I can see the glitter sparkling in his eyes. Nothing good ever comes of that sparkle in his gray irises. And when he runs his hand through his tousled, unkempt dark hair, I know for sure he’s nervous. It’s his tell.
He backs up with both hands raised. “I was going to tell you, I swear.”
At that moment, the door shoves open, nailing Taylen in the butt cheek. I mean, not that I’m checking because uh, well, I’m not at that angle, but even if I were, I wouldn’t check out his bum. I’ve noticed every bit of Taylen’s anatomy over the years, in one way or other, and it’s just…there. It’s the way he’s built, just like I have boobs that sometimes get in the way, as well as a bum. He notices those things in passing, I’m sure, but we don’t stand there and ogle each other.
“Peanut butter and jam sandwiches,” Taylen curses. He hates PB and J, though I have no idea why. I don’t know how anyone can hate such a delicious medley. He rubs his ass while the door pushes open. Then, Jeffers sticks his head in, all innocent and wide-eyed.
I very solemnly stand up, lift the toilet seat, check to make sure the water’s clean, and let Jeffers have his fill. He loves toilets. Seriously. I’ve bought him those plug-in water bowls where they spray water up like a fountain, and even ones that are chilled and heated. But nope, nope, and nope. Nothing beats a delicious tank of fresh toilet brew.
He rushes into the bathroom, nails Taylen again with the door handle right in the gut, and starts filling up on water out of the toilet.
Tay pretends to gag. He turns around, grabs his toothbrush out of his small black bathroom bag, and starts in on that, ignoring me while I stand here, my hands on my hips. What did he do with the brooch? I wonder if he’d freak out if I put it on or something.
Jeffers exits the bathroom like a king just as Taylen finishes brushing his teeth and spits into the sink. He rinses out his mouth and sticks his toothbrush back. And no, my eyes don’t gravitate to the way his black shorts tighten around his bottom when he bends over because I already know my best friend’s ass is fine. It doesn’t make my nipples hard or anything, but I guess maybe it’s a little bit cold in here. I’m suddenly shivering, so yes, it must definitely be chilly. Probably the AC is cranked up too high.
Taylen exits the bathroom, and I trail after him with my arms crossed over my chest, which also effectively serves to hide my pert nipples.
As he starts ripping clothes out of his bag, which is at the foot of the bed, I leap up onto his side of the bed, sending bags flying onto their sides. “Tay!” I bellow. “Tell me! What did you mean? Is it really cursed?”
Taylen’s hands pause on a pair of jeans. His face is all like…I don’t know. Somewhere between holy shit, this is bad, holy shit, this is really bad, and I guess I was going to have to tell her sooner or later. I just know…I just know from his expression. And I can feel my face falling. My lips wobble, even though I try and keep them straight. I can’t hide the fact that I’m seriously hurt.