“I don’t hate him. I don’t know how I feel. He just broke up with his childhood sweetheart and we’re competing against each other.”

“Listen. Reese. I know you don’t have a lot of life experience, but Fitz is a good guy. You should go with it, whatever you’re feeling. Or not feeling. Who cares? Do what makes you happy. You only live once. And for God’s sake, kiss someone already. Anyone’ll do.”

“You really think so? Even though you don’t believe in love?”

“Who said anything about love? You could use a distraction. Just because you’re competing over a room doesn’t mean you can’t like each other. It’s your life. There are no rules.”

Is that all I would be though? A distraction? How does she know he doesn’t do casual? Because he hasn’t before? Maybe since he’s done the long-term thing, he wants something different. I’m completely out of my depth.

“Right. No rules. Okay. Thanks, Annabel.”

I’ve lived my whole life playing it safe, staying away from people, sticking to my little, comfortable bubble and following the path of least resistance. But now that I’ve strayed onto the road less traveled, I’ve learned that most people aren’t as bad as I once thought. As a matter of fact, I would consider all my roommates to be friends. Annabel too. For the first time in my life I have friends that I’m not related to.

“You’re welcome.”

What she’s saying makes sense, but I still have so many questions. “So how do I let him know that I’m interested in . . . no rules?”

She blinks at me. “Are you asking me how to seduce someone? I mean, I am all about sexual freedom, but this is my brother we’re talking about.”

“It’s just that, in the animal kingdom, it’s typically the male that preens and displays colorful feathers to attract the female. Unless we’re talking about seahorses, in which case the female does a dance. What do I do?”

“I don’t know.” Her hands flail in frustration. “Tell him about those seahorse mating habits.”

I frown. “Do you really think that will work?”

She rolls her eyes. “It will if you’re naked. Reese, he’s a dude. They aren’t complex.”

“Oh.”

“Do you have any bobby pins?”

“What? No. I will not aid and abet you in whatever secret stuff you’re doing. Jude is a good guy too, you know.”

“Maybe he is, but he’s hiding something.”

“What could he be hiding?”

“That’s what I’m going to find out.”

Now that I consider Jude a friend, I’m not sure I can countenance whatever Annabel’s got cooking. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“I’m not going to hurt anyone. I’m just looking for the truth.”

“I know but . . . sometimes the truth hurts.”

I leave Annabel to her bad decisions and head back out to the party to make my own.

I’m prepared to go out and find Fitz and talk to him about . . . everything, I guess, but before I make it through the back slider, I spot Fitz and Abby talking on the edge of the yard. Clearly consumed in whatever they’re discussing.