CLANDESTINE | HS |

TWENTY TWO

Harry

"Get in loser."

Lauren rolls her eyes as she climbs into my truck, buckling her seatbelt before turning to me. "Are we going shopping?"

"I'm so glad I can always count on you to understand a Mean Girls reference." I say as we pull into the flow of traffic, heading towards our parents house for family dinner.

"I feel like it's just in the law." Shrugging her shoulders and messing with the radio, her eyes meet mine for just a second. "Doesn't everyone like Mean Girls?"

"You would think." Checking over my shoulder, I switch lanes. "Do you still need to run by the store?"

"Do you mind?" Lauren finally settles on some music from her phone as it plays through the speakers. "Mom said to bring dessert and I can't bake for shit."

"That's true." Thinking back in the time she made homemade brownies, I shudder. "Have you heard back from the Anderson's on what color they decided on for the arbor?"

"Oh! Yes!" Digging in her bag for her phone, Lauren is quick to pull up the options I sent for her to show the couple. "I'll send the one they wanted to you right now."

My phone buzzes in the cup holder with her message. "I can bring it to the venue and then pick it up."

"Perfect!" She shimmies in her seat.

Every now and then, when Lauren planned a wedding the couples were looking for custom wooden arbors— she immediately turned to me for them.

It gave me something to do and I liked making them.

Besides, I loved getting to see the weddings she worked so hard on.

We talk about it the entire way to the store, both of us heading into opposite directions to grab different items. Lauren grabs a cake while I go through the produce, grabbing just enough to make the salmon bowls that I know Logan loves.

Tomorrow was my night to cook.

"Did you buy the whole store?"

Lauren puts her single bag in the backseat, watching as I load at least five bags of groceries next to hers.

"Sue me for not wanting to get groceries for dinner later." Getting into the driver's seat, I glance at her.

Looking back, she narrows her eyes at the amount of stuff packed into each bag. "One dinner?"

"Yeah?" Answering absentmindedly, I turn out of the small parking lot in the direction we need to be heading. "And?"

"How many people are you feed— Oh my god, is someone coming over?!" Turning to face me, her eyes are wide. "Harry!"

"No, nobody is coming over!" I laugh, trying not to let the heat spread through my body and detonate my lie.

"Holy shit!" Lauren shakes her head. "Who is it?!"

"Nobody!" The word from my lips is short, said on a silent prayer she won't dig any further.

Her laughter is loud. "So it is someone! Fuck, I can't believe you've been seeing someone and didn't tell me."

"It's not even a big deal." The words feel sour on my
tongue, knowing every moment with Logan is a big deal to me.

"Do I know them?" She's on a mission to get information out of me, knowing that I usually divulge that kind of information to her. "I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"No, you don't know them." I lie.

Turning down the street, I press a little harder on the accelerator. "Where did you meet them?"