Blended Ch 23

Piper pulls a long, blonde hair off Flynn’s sweaty T-shirt. “Flynn, I’m pretty sure there’s one person named Jameson with red hair who wants to go on a date with you.” She leans in and lowers her voice to a whisper. “And she’s got big boobs.”

Flynn grimaces. It’s awkward. Painful, even. He puts his hands on his hips and stares at her, fully present, not arrogant at all. It’s beyond obnoxious. “Look,” he begins, and Piper shakes her head.

“Nothing good starts like that, Flynn. Take a minute and get it right.”

He smiles and nods. “OK. Uh…” He runs his hand through his hair. “I like Kayla. I really enjoy hanging out with her. Until recently. Maybe a few months ago. We used to be on the same page. I don’t think we are anymore.”

Tactful. “Flynn, you have no chance with Riley if she even has a tiny worry that being with you would hurt Kayla. You can’t make a move with her unless you settle things with Kayla first.”

“Or unless Kayla finds someone else.”

He’s smarter than he looks. “Gonna have Graham run interference?”

“She’s the one woman in Gurlberg who doesn’t like him.”

“Who, then? Choi?”

“Interesting idea.”

“Then you understand.” Piper taps his chest. “You don’t go near Riley until Kayla is straight. And if you are cutting her loose, it needs to be for real. You can’t casually hook up with her anymore. It’s not casual for her. She’s a human being.”

He nods, looking abashed. “Yeah. Yeah, OK.”

“That would be really attractive.”

“Huh?”

“You know. Doing the right thing. Remembering that people have feelings.” She taps his chest again. “Super hot.”

“Oh please. You live with Kayla. You can’t flirt with me.”

“I know. She’s hard enough to live with as it is.” Piper bats her eyelashes. “So. About these pipes.”

“You ever gonna go on a date with Graham?”

“He ever gonna ask me? Maybe I’ll go out with Ash. Make Graham jealous. It’s always Ash having to listen to you studs bringing chicks home. What happens if I go home with Ash? You ever think about that?”

He sucks his breath in through his teeth and scratches his head. “That would be the most nuclear, apocalyptic flex to ever happen in history. But you wouldn’t do it.”

“Why not?”

“Because Ash is a human being.” He smiles condescendingly. “And you would never use him as a prop that way.”

“OK. OK, buddy. It’s like that, huh? I don’t know. Might be worth it. Focus, Flynn. Pipes.”

“Will Riley be there?”

Piper puts her face in her hand. “Yes, Flynn. She will be here. Working.”

He takes a drink from his water bottle and shrugs. “I’m in.”