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definitely not perfect. On occasion, he sucks big time. But yeah. I’m keeping him.” Her cheeks flush the faintest pink and I’m filled with an insane amount of jealousy that I hate to acknowledge, even to myself. I love my friend. I love that she’s found such unconditional love from a sweet, gorgeous guy who wants nothing more than to take care of her.
    How I wish Colin felt the same! He has no problem with me taking care of him, but heaven forbid I need him for anything beyond a job and a roof over my head.
    Ugh . Fable is so right. Men suck.
    “Maybe you should just jump him,” Fable suggests out of the blue, startling me from my thoughts.
    “Are you serious?” I don’t know if I have the nerve to just . . . jump him. Despite how badly I want to. I’ve known Colin for what feels like forever. While I’m willing to walk away from him and his generosity, I’m not quite ready to push my luck and put myself on the line for him sexually. Talk about making myself vulnerable.
    What if he rejects me? I don’t know if I could take it.
    “Hell yes, I’m serious. What better way for you to leave with a big bang than to . . . get banged.” Fable bursts out laughing, the sound downright dirty, and I can’t help it. I join right in.
    That’s how her little brother Owen finds us a few minutes later, the two of us howling with laughter at the table as we trade sexual innuendos, the cheesier the better. I’d just let a ball reference fly when Owen ambled up to the table, a confused expression on his face.
    We both stop laughing at the same moment, staring up at him in quiet horror.
    Grimacing, Owen shakes his head. “I don’t even wanna know.”
    Fable and I start giggling all over again as Owen moves into the kitchen to get himself something to drink. I watch him out of the corner of my eye, startled by how grown-up he looks. He’s only fourteen and a freshman in high school but he’s tall, and he’s filling out quickly, with broad shoulders and chest.
    The girls will love him.
    “Your brother is gonna be a complete lady killer someday,” I say.
    Fable sighs, worry filling her gaze as she quickly studies him. “He already is. Now that he’s on the junior varsity team, he’s attracting a lot of attention from girls. I don’t like it.”
    She’s gone straight into vigilant big sister mode and I love it. She’s so fiercely protective, I would never want to cross her. “Don’t say anything mean,” I warn her, but she glares at me.
    “There’s no one else to protect him from all those . . . she-devils.” I almost laugh but don’t dare. The look on Fable’s face is downright scary. “I’m serious, Jen. They’re all sniffing around him like dogs in heat.”
    “I heard that,” Owen calls from the tiny kitchen.
    “I wanted you to,” Fable calls back. She leans across the table and lowers her voice. “I had sex way too young, you know? The idea of him doing that . . . freaks me out. I want him to stay a kid for as long as he can.”
    How could I break it to her that Owen has been far from a kid for years? I think she knows this; she just doesn’t want to admit it. Only a few months ago she was complaining to me about finding yet another Baggie of weed in his jeans pocket. Though I don’t think he gets high the way he used to, what with being on the football team and following in Drew’s footsteps.
    “He’s so tall,” I say, sounding lame but wanting to change the subject. I don’t really want to talk about sex and drugs in reference to Owen.
    “Almost as tall as Drew.” Fable rolls her eyes, but her wistful expression betrays her. “I’m such a shrimp. Those two gang up on me and I’m done for.” And she loves the things they do together. As a family. That the two most important men in her life now have a tight bond as, well.
    More jealousy flows through me and I shove it down, smiling blissfully at Fable instead. “You three are like a happy little family unit.”
    She’s positively