Page 32 of Ruthless Edge

"I just had a study session." I sit down on the edge of Sienna's blanket and pull my knees up. "It went fine."

Rory has put down her phone. "You're smiling."

"I smile."

"Not like that."

I look at Paige for help. Paige is already pointing at me with an expression that says she agrees with Rory completely and I should stop stalling.

"Owen Bennett asked me out," I say.

Paige makes a sound that is genuinely best described as a shriek. She grabs my arm with both hands. "Owen from your seminar?"

"Yes."

"Dark blond hair, always wears that navy jacket?"

I didn't know she'd noticed the navy jacket. "Yes."

"Emma." She's gripping my arm harder. "He is so cute."

"He asked me on a date," I say again, because I'm still getting used to saying it. "Friday night. He won't tell me where we're going."

Rory has leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, which is her listening-seriously posture. "How did it happen?"

I tell them. I give the full account, including the part where I suggested the library café and the part where I asked what subject we should study. Paige covers her mouth halfway through. Sienna's expression gets very still like she's trying not to laugh and is mostly succeeding. By the time I get to looking around the room to confirm I was the person being addressed, Paige has given up and is fully laughing.

"You asked him what subject," Rory says.

"I thought he meant studying."

"After he said dinner and a movie?"

"Movies aren't great for retention."

Sienna says, quietly, "I cannot believe you are a psychology major."

"People are easier to read when they're not talking to me directly."

"That is the most Emma sentence ever spoken," Paige says. She's recovered enough to be planning something, which I can tell because she's got that look. "Okay. Thursday. Shopping."

"It's one date."

"Shopping," she says again, with the same tone. "I saw a green dress last week that I've been thinking you’d look great in."

"Paige—"

"Rory's doing your makeup."

Rory nods like this has already been agreed upon, which apparently it has. "I'm thinking a soft eye. Something that looks like you weren't trying."

"I wasn't going to try."

"All the more reason to make it look like that on purpose."

Sienna is watching this exchange with calm amusement. "You should wear your hair down," she says. "You always pull it back. Wear it down."

"It gets in my way."