18

After lunch, there wasn't much left to do. Jake and I ran to the local furniture store with the Uhaul and I bought a new high tech memory foam mattress and box spring, my first new to me adult purchase. As we were walking out, Jake asked me if I had sheets and that led to a detour to my parents house to steal a set.

Back at my apartment, Brady helped Jake get the box spring up the stairs and into my bedroom, then they came back down for the mattress. I followed behind carrying the flannel sheets printed with moose dressed like Canadien Mounties.

"You're going to get new sheets right?" Hannah asked when she saw the ones my mom handed me. She was unboxing a set of dishes I had just purchased.

"Well yeah eventually. I just need something for right now."

"Good, because those are the least sexiest sheets I have ever seen."

"I'm sorry what? Why do I need sexy sheets?" Hannah jerked her head toward Brady.

"That man right there. He's going to look down at you and be distracted by the moose all over."

"What if I'm not on the bottom?"

"You'll be on the bottom. You hate being on top."

"I never know where to put my hands." I watched the muscles in Brady's arms bulge as he carried the mattress. "I'll buy new sheets tomorrow." Hannah smiled and went back to unpacking. I walked into my bedroom as the boys were setting the mattress on the frame.

"Do you need any help making this?" Brady asked gesturing to the bed. I blushed and shook my head.

"No, I've totally got this. Thank you, though." He went out into the living room and I dropped the sheets on the bed.

"Sis, are we done?" Chris called out. I walked out and looked around. Hannah and Dean were leaning on my kitchen counter while Chris and Courtney leaned in from the breakfast bar side. My dad and Jake were sitting at my dining table.

"Where's Lola?" I asked.

"Bathroom," I heard her call out from the other side of the apartment.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying not to break these stupid shower curtain rings."

"Do you need help?"

"No." There was a crash followed by swearing. "Yes."

"I've got this." Brady went in to check on her.

"I think that's pretty much it. Thank you all so much for helping me. This went way faster than I thought it would." Lola and Brady came out of the bathroom in one piece.

"Ya good?" Lola nodded.

"Yes thanks to Brady. Shower curtains were only meant to be hung by tall people."

"Happy to help," Brady said with a smile. That smile was really growing on me.

"Alright, well we're gonna head on out then," my dad announced. He walked over and gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You need anything at all Sis, you just give us a call."

"I will dad," I promised. I gave Jake and Chris hug and the three of them left.

"You guys sticking around for the Rom-Com Marathon?" I asked Hannah and Dean. Since I didn't have internet yet, I brought over my DVD collection from my parents' house. All the movies I collected in high school. Courtney, Lola, and I planned on binging on ice cream and cheesy pick up lines.

"As fantastic as that sounds, one of our buddies from high school is in town with his girlfriend, so we're taking them out tonight," Dean said slinging his arm around Brady's shoulders. "But don't worry, I'll make sure this guy keeps out of trouble." Brady's face turned an adorable shade of pink and he smacked Dean in the stomach hard with the back of his hand. I rolled my eyes but the thought of Brady out where other girls could flirt with him left a knot in my stomach. Ugh, way too early for that kind of nonsense.

"Worry about yourself," Hannah told Dean before giving me a hug. "Don't forget about church tomorrow. No way mom is going to let you off the hook again."

"Already set the alarm," I assured her. I gave Dean a hug and turned to Brady. He rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. We took a step toward each other and did the classic awkward, do we-don't we hug dance. In the end, we did. He pulled me in close and I swear I could feel his heart beating. He smelled like Irish Spring soap.

"Thanks for your help. Have fun tonight," I said into his chest trying to discreetly sniff him. Such a manly smell.

"Anytime. Can I text you later?" I nodded and we pulled apart.

"Have fun! Watch your drinks! Wear condoms!" Lola called after them as they left.

"Lo, seriously your filter needs changed. It has a gaping hole in it," I groaned.

"I think it's just missing all together," Courtney added, taking Lola's beer out of her hand and replacing it with a water bottle. Lola grinned and reached for a leftover piece of pizza.

"And yet you still love me," she said.

"Always," I confirmed. She winked at me and took a bite of the pizza.

"Speaking of love, Brady is definitely interested," Courtney mentioned. "I caught him staring on multiple occasions. Plus he was overly helpful to us girls. Definitely trying to get on our good side." My heart skipped a beat.

"I'm pretty sure Kade was sorry to see you leave, but he loved watching you walk away," Lola threw out, finishing her pizza. My thighs clenched.

"So, which one is it going to be?" Courtney asked, boosting herself up onto the kitchen counter.

"You ask like I have a choice." I picked up the beer that had been Lola's and took a long sip, hoping to wash away the heat from the Kade comment.

"You do. Brady or Kade?" Lola looked at me expectantly. I shook my head.

"Kade is not a choice. I think he just demonstrated why getting back with an ex is a bad idea." News had spread that Kade and Katy had broken up and it was messy. She was not happy and everyone knew about it.

"So Brady then?" Courtney pressed.

"I think it's too early to say. He's really nice, so I just want to see how things go."

"Okay, but just to be clear you want to fuck him right?" Lola asked. Courtney looked at me expectantly.

"Yes, are you happy now?" Both girls nodded. "Good. Now pick a movie and hand me some ice cream."

***

Three movies and three pints later, we were laying on my new moose sheet covered bed talking, when my phone buzzed. I reached over Lola to grab it off my nightstand.

"Who is it?" she asked. She had her head on the same pillow as me and was trying to read the screen.

'Wish you were here with us.' I grinned at the picture he sent of Dean, Hannah, and himself.

"Ohhhh it's definitely Brady," Courtney surmised. I showed the the text and picture.

"That's really cute," Lola said. "I like that he's already thinking of you like that."

"Don't you think it's a little soon for that? I mean I've been in town for barely a week and reconnected with this guy I didn't really know existed and now he's sending me texts and pictures. That feels fast."

"That's because in you're last relationship, you spent so much time in denial, it took Kade forever to convince you to go out with him," Lol said, rolling her eyes. "Plus, you're older now. It's okay to skip the game playing and go straight to the 'I like you, let's hump like rabbits'."

"No one is humping like rabbits. There is no rabbit humping happening."

"Not right now, but there could be." I decided to ignore her and text Brady back.

'Looks like you guys are having a good time.'

'Some girl almost puked on my shoes. Best night ever. #sarcasm'

'You're totally living the life right now.'

"Who are you texting Court?" Lola asked, propping herself up on her elbow. Courtney was lying on my other side and I moved to see if I could glance at her screen. She was too quick, though, and blanked it out.

"Just my mom. Just checking on her." Ever since her mom's heart attack, Courtney kept close tabs on her. However, if she was talking to her mom, why was her face so red? Lola and I exchanged a look. "How about another movie?"

The diversion worked and soon we were back on track with our marathon. Brady texted a few more times before we finally said good night. I caught Courtney texting again, smiling at the phone. When she looked up and saw me, her face turned red.

"Night!" she said before rolling over. Lola had already fallen asleep, so I turned off the movie and snuggled in between them. It wasn't like Courtney to keep a secret, so if she wasn't sharing, she had a good reason. I put it out of my mind and focused on falling asleep.