Bratfest At Tiffany's

THE BLOCK ESTATE
MASSIE’S BEDROOM

Wednesday, September 16th
6:30 P.M.

Claire quickly covered her head with her hands and rolled off the giant white featherbed to safety. A spilt second later and she would have been whacked on the skull by Massie’s silver remote control.
Standing slowly, she peered across the purple pillow-covered duvet. “What was that for?”
“You seriously have to ask?!” Massie swung her legs over the foot of the bed, slipped her exfoliated feet into her black-and-gold angora slippers, and stomped to retrieve her remote. “Maybe this will refresh your memory.” She aimed the remote at the TV and dug her buffed nail in the REWIND button. Shots of the NLBRs and the NPC cavorting outside the trailers flew past them in reverse. “Doesn’t the boyfast mean anything to you?”
Claire swallowed hard; the taste of pennies filled her mouth. Why hadn’t she cleared Operation Jealousy with Massie? Why had she assumed Massie would understand? And why, why, why had she picked Massie’s secret crush as the object of her faux affection?
“Exhibit A.” Massie pressed PLAY right as Claire took the dandelion from Dempsey and mouthed, “Thank you.” It would have been harmless if she hadn’t cocked her head to the side, fluttered her lashes, and winked—or if Winkie hadn’t used the L-word to describe their relationship.
“It’s not what it looks like.” Claire tugged the red rope that hung off the waistband of her striped Old Navy PJ bottoms.
Massie lowered her amber eyes and focused on Claire’s charm bracelet. The implications raised the light blond hair on Claire’s arms.
“That whole flower thing was edited weird. Nothing happened. And nothing is going on,” Claire pleaded.
“I hope so.” Massie tossed the remote on her bed. She tightened the black satin belt on her Eberjey robe, secured her thick ivory hair band, and circled Claire like a shark. “’Cause trying to make a boy jealous would ah-bviously be against the boyfast. Because that would mean you liked the boy you were trying to make jealous, and liking boys is totally forbidden.”
“I know.” Claire lowered her eyes and stared at the white sheepskin rug beneath her bare feet. “I would never.”
Massie’s expression softened slightly and Claire exhaled a little.
“Would never what?”
“Um …” Claire searched the alpha’s face for the right answer—or at least a hint. But all she saw were two perfectly arched eyebrows that seemed to doubt her very much.
“Would never what?”
“Um, I would never try to make Ca—” She quickly choked back his name. “Anyone jealous. And I would never have a crush on someone during a boyfast. I swear.”
Claire forced herself to look straight into Massie’s amber eyes no matter how much it scared her. Because looking away meant she was lying. That was how her father always knew when Todd was hiding something. And he was always right.
“I believe you.” Massie scooped Bean off a purple throw pillow and kissed her little black nose.
“Good.” Claire exhaled fully. “No need to worry. He’s all yours.” She smiled as sweetly as she could.
“What?” Massie hurried over to her bedroom door and slammed it. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she whisper-hissed.
Claire snickered to herself. “I just got the feeling you liked him.” She reached for a pillow and hugged it to her body, just in case another sharp object was about to get thrown at her.
“My relationship with Dempsey is strictly professional.” Massie squeezed the purple heart charm on her bracelet. “I swear!”
“I believe you,” Claire lied, relieved that this was no longer about her—unless, of course, Operation Jealousy worked and Cam wanted her back.