Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 104501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Avery had sucked in her breath.
In the back of my mind, I knew Marcus had probably finished his turn. We needed to turn around, pretend we weren’t spying on his brother, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away. It was like watching a car accident. People were going to die. Hearts were going to be shattered. And it was my heart getting stomped on.
Caden had wanted to sleep with her. I could tell. Being around him for the last few weeks, I’d started to know when he was interested. There wasn’t really a look in his eye, but I felt it in my gut every time, and I’d felt it as I watched him with that girl.
He would’ve said he wanted to plow her. Judging by how she kept flicking her hair back and touching her face, her other hand still lingering on his stomach, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d taken her to the bathroom.
I didn’t know what would be worse, if he took her now, or if he took me home and called her for an actual date later.
My throat had burned when I got my answer.
The bartender brought over Caden’s drink. The girl had leaned forward, brushing her breasts against his chest as she reached behind him for a pen. Grabbing it and holding Caden’s arm, she wrote something on him.
“She’s giving him her number,” Avery had hissed.
“Duh.” Marcus had sat in one of the side chairs. “She’s hot. I’d get her number too.”
Avery had twisted around. “Really?”
“If you didn’t exist,” he’d quickly added.
“Better.” Her tone had been cool, but I’d heard the smile. “Quick thinking, Banks.”
Marcus had chuckled, and the fondness in it had me gritting my teeth. I’d torn my gaze away. Finally. Pain smoldered in my stomach.
“Hey.” Caden had come walking back. “Who’s up?”
“You.”
I loved my friend at that moment, so much. Avery’s voice had just the right amount of scathing mixed with niceness. I knew Caden had noticed, but he couldn’t say anything. I glanced over and saw that she’d covered it up with a fake smile.
“Okay.” He’d set his drink in front of me and touched my shoulder. “I got that for you, if you want it.”
Fuck him, I’d thought. Fuck his niceness. Fuck his thoughtfulness, and fuck how he didn’t notice when I didn’t respond. I could see her phone number scrawled over his arm like a cute tattoo.
Yes. Fuck him.
I’d taken the drink and gulped down half of it.
“Summer, you drink?” Avery asked.
Caden had his ball in hand, poised to take his shot, but he looked back. “She drinks all the time.”
Avery gave me an incredulous look.
I shrugged. “I drank at Marcus’ party.”
“You did?”
Marcus laughed, stretching out his legs and resting an arm across the back of the seats next to him. Avery moved into one of them and relaxed as Marcus began drawing circles on her shoulder.
“If I’m remembering right, you were wasted that night,” he told her. “Doubt you’d have the best memory.”
“Oh, yeah.”
She’d given him a dreamy smile, and I’d wanted to gut punch anyone happy at that moment.
“You okay?” Caden had dropped into his chair again.
I’d given him two thumbs up, stuffing everything down inside. “I’m gut punchy and happy.”
His eyes had fallen to my drink. “Maybe you shouldn’t have the rest of that.”
“Too late.” I’d opened my throat and thrown the rest back, letting the booze burn all the way to my liver.
“She’s fine,” Avery spoke up for me. “She’s just tired.”
“We can go,” Caden had said. “We don’t have to play the last game.”
Oh, yes, I’d thought. So you can get home and still have time to call the stunningly beautiful hussy up for a night plow.
I’d forced a smile. “Sure.”
Avery had been watching me when we handed our shoes back, but Marcus pinched her butt. She’d swatted him back, and the flirting distracted her again.
Marcus reached forward now to open the first set of doors on the way out of the bowling alley, but then he paused. He stood there, holding the door open. I’d been waiting for Avery to go ahead, but she didn’t. Her shoulders went rigid, and she didn’t move.
Two people stepped inside. I could see the top of the guy’s head and held my breath. I recognized that hair.
Caden moved forward, his hand sweeping me behind him. He stood between Avery and Marcus, facing the two new people with me tucked in the back. Normally, I’d be all, Screw that. I want to see the action, but in this particular moment, I was content to burrow into Caden’s backside.
“You guys are back together?”
I felt the growl coming back from earlier. I could hear the disdain in Maggie’s voice. Why was Avery friends with her again?
“We’re hanging out. Yeah.”
“Don’t even go there, Maggie.” Marcus’ voice was a warning. “You’ve got no say in who I see.”