Dylan grips my hips, pulling me down onto his lap. “And my woman is seated. Problem solved.” He pushes my hair aside and starts nibbling on my earlobe. Slater narrows his eyes but doesn’t retaliate.
Over the years, Dylan and Slater have grown more antagonistic toward one another, especially recently, and I’ve no idea why. There’s only two years between us and Ryan and Slater, but when we were ten—when Dylan and I first met—the guys were twelve turning thirteen and they thought they were so mature. They made it their mission to tease the crap out of us any time they could, and they loved to pick on Dylan because his bestie was a girl and he had an unusual obsession with computers.
Dylan was already a tech whiz by the time I met him, and he had an unnatural level of technical intelligence that was rare. It was no huge surprise when the app he developed came to the attention of the big tech giants and they entered a bidding war to acquire the rights.
Dylan and I had only formally become boyfriend and girlfriend around the same time. Everyone embraced our relationship, having always known our friendship was headed in that direction—Slater being the exception. It’s not that he’s come out and said it, but I always get the impression he thinks Dylan isn’t good enough for me.
Which is ridiculous, because, if anything, it’s the other way around.
“You made it!” Myndi drops down onto the ground alongside us, crossing her legs and smiling up at me. Another couple of girls from our nursing group joins us, and we chat casually while the boys trade insults behind us, laughing and joking loudly. Dylan is chatting with Ryan, running his hands through my hair while they talk.
“I need to pee,” I say, climbing to my feet.
“I’ll grab us some fresh drinks.” Dylan rises to join me. Taking my hand, he brings me back into the house. He pecks my lips and swats my butt as I leave him in the kitchen.
There’s a long line for the bathroom, so I pull out my cell, checking social media while I wait. The line moves at a snail’s pace, and I cross my legs, urging my bursting bladder to hold tight for another few minutes. I lean against the wall beside one of the bedrooms while absently flicking through Instagram. The door to the bedroom is slightly ajar, and conversation trickles out to greet me.
“I’m calling bullshit on that. Dylan Woods is completely devoted to his girlfriend, and everyone knows it,” a female says, piquing my interest. Pretending to be engrossed in my cell, I move a little closer to the door.
“I’m telling the fucking truth,” another girl retorts, clearly pissed. “Why the hell would I make it up?”
“Maybe because you’re still sour over the fact he’s continuously rejected your advances and you want to try and save face.”
I’m used to girls hitting on my man. He’s a bit of a celebrity around these parts since the news broke of the teenage-prodigy-cum-multi-millionaire. The local paper also made a big deal when he turned down Yale to attend the University of Delaware. Most commentators speculated it was because I’d chosen to attend here, but they don’t know the real reason. I would’ve happily moved with Dylan to any part of the country, but he didn’t want to leave his Mom.
Since his dad died in a car accident when Dylan was six, he’s been a rock for Heather and there’s no way he’ll ever leave her. Dylan’s dad was the love of Heather’s life, and she swears she’ll never marry again. She won’t even date. Dylan is the only man in her life, and she’s happy to keep it that way.
If I didn’t love Heather like a second mother, I might feel resentful of their close bond, but that is the furthest from the truth.
“You’re a complete bitch,” the girl snaps. “I’m not making this up.”
“If you’re trying to cause issues in his relationship, it won’t work. He’s crazy about her, and you should leave them alone. You’re such a jealous bitch.”
I have to smother the laugh waiting to rip free of my mouth. I don’t know who that girl is, but I already freaking love her.
Girls hit on Dylan a lot, but I’m rarely jealous. We’ve been together a long time, and I trust him implicitly. I know he’d never do anything to jeopardize what we have, so this conversation is more amusing than anything.
“Screw you, Ana. I know what he said, and he was clearly aroused when he said it. He couldn’t hide the bulge in his pants.”
I roll my eyes, not even pretending that I’m not eavesdropping any more.
“If he wanted to suck your tits so badly, why didn’t he?” the other girl challenges again. “I mean, you expect us to believe that Dylan fucking Woods, tech genius and the sweetest, most notoriously faithful guy on campus, said that to your face and then just walked away?” She scoffs. “I’m not buying it. You’re delusional.”
I could seriously kiss that girl. And she’s voiced my sentiments exactly. Dylan is the last guy to say something crude to any girl. Yes, he has a bit of a dirty mouth in the bedroom, but that’s only with me.
“The only reason he walked away is because it’s his anniversary today and he was bringing his girlfriend out to dinner. He took my number and said he’d call or text me.”
All the blood suddenly leaches from my face, and my heart starts beating erratically in my chest. How the hell does she know that? The line moves again, and I push off the wall, part of me grateful I can no longer hear the rest of the conversation and another part of me desperate to see what she says next.
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I contemplate all I overheard. Forcing a sudden bout of nausea aside, I think about this logically. She could have found out about our anniversary any number of ways. She could have overheard a conversation Dylan had with someone about today and our dinner plans. Hell, she could even have been eavesdropping when I told Myndi earlier this evening.
That’s got to be it.
Because there’s no way Dylan would ever say something so lewd to another girl, and there’s no way he would ever take another girl’s number.
As I make my way back outside, I shove all thoughts of that horrid woman aside, determined she’s not going to ruin this special night.
***End of Sample***
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GLOSSARY OF IRISH TERMS/SAYINGS
Aisling – female Irish name pronounced Ash-ling
Aoife – female Irish name pronounced E-fa
Bandied about - said
Bedside locker – nightstand
Beggars belief – is unbelievable
Bin – trashcan
Biscuits – cookies
Blanked – ignored
Boot - trunk
Chinwag – conversation
Clodagh – female Irish name pronounced Clo-Da
Cooker – stove
Crisps – chips
Emer – female Irish name pronounced E-mer
Feeling peckish – feeling hungry
Gob – mouth
He’s a little nutter – he’s a little crazy/wild
Hen’s and stag’s nights – bachelor and bachelorette parties
I was in bits – I was a hot mess
Knackered – tired/exhausted
Knickers – panties
Knocks me for six – knocks me for a loop