She shoves me hard. “Yeah okay, zombie apocalypse trainee who fell.”

“So much blood; you don’t know zombies like I do.”

MB grins and pats my sweaty back. “So, does that mean I get to be on your team?”

“Gonna have to ask Quinn, there’s this very serious vetting and orientation, I mean, I won’t get into specifics, but you have to prove your worth.”

“My worth?” Her eyebrows shoot straight up. “I just did a roundhouse kick, I’m worth more than Quinn at this point, and you combined.”

I nod and hold out my hand. “You’re in.”

She shakes it and then pulls me close, so close I can see the small flecks of yellow in her brown eyes. “That was easy.”

“Zombie work is hard work.”

“Says the expert.”

“Got a patch and everything.” I grin.

She just shakes her head, releases my hand, and laughs. “Let’s go back to the house and eat some food. Anything from your mom?”

“Mood killer,” I grumble.

“But seriously…”

“No.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Nothing.”

All it does is remind me that my dad’s dead, my mom abandoned me, and the girl that started it all is someone I love but shouldn’t.

I take a deep breath and a step away from her because what if she leaves me too? I’ve tried to protect myself from falling.

I failed.

Fuck.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Mary-Belle

The first thing I do when we get back to the house is put on one of Ambrose’s lacrosse sweatshirts, a pair of white shorts, and super comfy pink socks that match nothing I’m wearing and put my hair in a ponytail with a leopard scrunchy.

I’m clearly trying to impress him. I almost laugh to myself as I walk back down the stairs and search the house for both guys. They said they were going to make nachos. I see no nachos, but I do smell them.

I follow the smell into the movie room. Johnny Depp is running around like a drunk chicken on the screen, and Quinn’s pointing out that he too, would look great in eyeliner.

“Test me, bro.” Quinn crunches down on a chip. “I bet you anything that if I wore eyeliner, I’d look like fucking Jared Leto and Jonny Depp had a love child.”

Ambrose stares him down. “That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard.” He pauses. “You’re more Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio.”

“Aw bro, that came from the heart. I felt it.”

“Thanks for noticing.” Ambrose holds out a chip. They touch nachos and then smile.

“Do you two need alone time?” I grin at them both. “I feel like I just came in on a super special moment.”

They scramble to their feet like I’m the queen of France. Ambrose grabs the plate of Nachos. “My lady.”

I roll my eyes.

Quinn grins. “Saved you a spot between us, and yes, while the moment was special, it’s even more special with you here.”

Ambrose kicks him.