Bea only smiled a little at Brandon’s comparison that Vienna and Kori sounded similar as kids, and that his niece mirrored how Kori had been. She figured some traits were just family things, and some were just inherent to being the youngest person or sibling. “To not giving a fuck,” she echoed and held her glass up.
“You aren’t fucking serious.” Though he probably was. Bea had never seen anyone with the extent of injuries that April had had stay conscious for long. “Must have some fucking willpower on her to stay awake and talk at you.” Though, given April’s quirks maybe she shouldn’t have been so surprised. “Now you’re just dashing my hopes, Stone. I really wanted to believe you and Silas had at least had a drunken thing,” she retorted, trying to get a reaction. From what she could tell Silas and Brandon were two of the straightest guys in the place, and she’d worked in fashion so her ability to spot someone who was even a little bi was pretty good. “It’s a shame you won’t do it. You would have looked good in the tights.”
That was a new expression. Bea wasn’t sure she had ever seen fucking shy pass across Brandon’s face, but now she could say she knew what it looked like. “You’re welcome,” she replied just as honestly and wondered if she should have downplayed her statements, but figured it was something that he’d needed to hear. She just wasn’t usually the pep-talk type. Not that that had been a pep talk.
She raised her eyebrows at his smirk and his statement. She’d rather listen to a guy who knew what good-looking was, than listen to a guy who was so insecure in his own fucking masculinity that he couldn’t recognize shit like that. “Regan’s pretty damn attractive, so it’s a shame this cop isn’t around, if he’s better looking than Jones,” she teased, not even a trace of seriousness in her words. “Fucking telling to that you’re saying you’re the best looking, Or I assume that’s what you implying.” And his grin was kind of cute too. And she was a little bit more fucked for noticing it. “Probably, yeah,” she agreed, matching his grin. “But I think I’ll leave the bum look to you.” She didn’t actually think he looked that bad. Relaxed. “I like a little more glamour.” Even if it wasn’t always showcased. She really missed occasions to get dressed up for.
Bea gave him an amused smile. “Nothing wrong with pink. But most guys won’t wear it.” Just a fact, stupid as it was. “And you’re not wrong about the junk-squished look. Heard from a couple stylists that they were pretty fucking uncomfortable too.” Because she’d had the nerve to ask.
“Yeah, black wouldn’t really suit you. It’s too fucking severe,” she said. “Maybe if your hair was darker it would work. And fuck, I’m going to stop analyzing now.” It felt a little weird to fall into that habit right then, especially since it had been a long time since she’d done it, but it also felt kind of nice using something that she’d been good at before. “Nobody gives me the fucking openings to say shit like that.” Nobody except Vienna, who had grown up with Bea’s opinion on colors.
“You’re not going to fucking judge me for that either,” she added.