Free Some Kind of Perfect (Calloway Sisters #4.5) by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie Page A

Willow says, “but it’s nice to have something like it nearby.” She hugs a blue pillow on her lap and picks at the fringe.
    Ryke and Lo watch her for a second and then exchange this concerned look. I pass them menus, trying to distract them while Willow makes up her mind on whether or not to include them in our Garrison discussion.
    “They have a special burrito today,” I tell Lo. “Maybe it’ll make you feel special afterwards, if you know what I mean.” I elbow his side lightly.
    An ill-humored Loren Hale flips through the menu. “Ryke, tell your wife she’s confusing special burritos with special brownies.”
    I gasp. “There’s a difference?”
    Ryke taps his plastic menu to my head. Lily would call that a love-tap.
    “I need advice,” Willow suddenly says, instantly capturing Ryke and Lo’s attention. “Maybe advice isn’t the right word…maybe like a guy’s perspective?”
    “What happened?” Lo asks sharply, ready to protect and defend his little sister.
    “Nothing bad. Well, it’s confusing…Daisy?” She has these pleading eyes like please help me explain this. I suck with words.
    I have you covered, Willow Hale.
    “Garrison filled out a questionnaire on his own accord, which was a rare event, and we’re both kind of questioning what his answers actually mean.” I pop up the questionnaire in a new window for them. “So as guys, what do you think?”
    Ryke leans closer and points at the screen. “What the fuck is that supposed to be?” Oh Ryke. He doesn’t know that the less-than sign plus the number three is the heart symbol.
    “A broken heart,” I explain.
    “But you’re both still fucking together, right?” Ryke asks.
    Willow nods. “Yeah.”
    “Then why the fuck…” he trails off at my wide-eyes. Stand down, Ryke . He’s not very informed on Tumblr wit. I doubt he’s even gone on Tumblr more than a few times. He would’ve filled this questionnaire out plainly. Relationship Status: Married.
    The end.
    Lo is really the one who’d be able to understand Garrison. His harsh glare remains strong while he reads. He finishes and says, “He’s just upset that you’re not around. Seems like a natural reaction if he loves you.”
    Willow says hurriedly, “I had sex with him the day before I left.” She buries her face in her pillow and mumbles out something else.
    Ryke whispers to me, “Her first time?”
    I nod, and Ryke rubs his temple and jaw before turning to Lo.
    Lo is frozen with his hand partially covering his mouth. They both lean against the booth and whisper, literally, behind my back.
    I ask Willow, “What was that last part?”
    She moves the pillow off her mouth, but not her eyes. “I think he’s upset about that.”
    “Hey,” I tell both guys, “stop, you two. She’s right here, and she didn’t have to tell you that, but she did and would like your advice.”
    They return to the screen, but Willow, no longer in frame, angled her computer camera to her X-Men poster.
    “Were you fucking safe?” Ryke asks. His words sound coarse but his voice isn’t.
    “Yes.” A voice comes out in the distance.
    “It was consensual?” Lo asks. It looks like he’s talking to the young, bald Professor Xavier.
    “Yes.”
    I cut in to alleviate some tension, “So what do you guys think? Would this be enough to make him upset?”
    “I wouldn’t put a fucking broken heart thing in my relationship status.” Ryke is blunt, which isn’t always a good thing. “If you both knew you wouldn’t see each other for a while and slept together, I would’ve been like, look, this fucking girl is obviously showing me that I mean a lot to her . ”
    “I would’ve been upset,” Lo counters, “but not at the girl, just at the goddamn situation.”
    “What can I do to make him feel better?” Willow asks off-screen.
    “I know this sucks but…you can’t do anything, Willow. You just have to let him get used to the long-distance thing. He will after a while.”
    “And if