“But what about me?” He pouts.
“What?”
“What am I going to do? You spend the morning painting, and I drive you crazy. It’s our thing.”
“Well, now you’re free to drive someone else crazy.”
He frowns and glances around the room like the lost puppy he is.
He chews on his lip. “You shouldn’t go. He might take advantage of you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
“Stay here with me,” he pleads, sitting up and reaching for my hand. It takes all my strength not to tell him that Austin and I are screwing with him and Rome.
“Will you kiss me if I stay?” I blink and stretch my neck, my eyes landing on a spot above Colt’s head. The heat of his fingertips on my hand is searing, scorching me from the inside out. My mouth is dry and I’m on tenterhooks waiting for him to respond.
He places his hand on my thigh, pushing it up toward the elastic of my panties, barely hidden by the hem of his t-shirt. If he says he’ll kiss me there, I might just let him.
I shake my head. My stupid dreams are getting to me. And it’s his fault.
“No.” Colt drops both hands to his lap and groans.
I shrug and step away from him, putting some much-needed space between us. “Maybe Austin will.”
He scoffs. “Yeah, and you’ll freak out like always and break his face.”
“Hmm, maybe not. There’s something different about Austin.”
There’s not. The thought of kissing Austin is enough to make my stomach churn, and my heart to suffer palpitations. Yet, two minutes ago, I was hoping my best friend would bury his face between my legs.
When did things get so screwed up?
Colt’s jaw clenches and he narrows his eyes. “You wouldn’t.”
I don’t give Colt a response and march into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. When I’m finished, the apartment is empty, and Colt is gone.
Austin is waiting out front of The Brew when I arrive.
I smile and give him a small wave. I’m jittery and my stomach is rolling, but I can’t figure out why. This isn’t a date. There’s no reason to be nervous and I’m not sick.
“Hey.” Austin greets me with an awkward hug. “Ah, so, I wanted to wait out here for you because I need to tell you something.”
My heart sinks. Anxiety curls its claws around my heart. People make me nervous, and I’m putting myself out there now to make a new friend, to piss off an old one, and now he’ll back out. Not want to hang out with me. Or he’ll tell me he has a girlfriend. Or worse, wants to date me.
“When I picked this place for coffee, I did it because they make the best coffee on campus, but I screwed up.”
I tilt my head and eye him curiously. My heart hammers in my chest.
“Remember the girl I told you about?”
“Your best friend? The one you’re in love with? The one who doesn’t notice you?”
I knew it was all a line. A way to get me to go out with him. It’s how things usually unfold. Spin the right lie, lure the girl in. I’ve seen it a thousand times in movies, and read it in my books.
“Yeah. That one.”
“Vaguely. Sounds familiar.” My voice trembles.
He laughs. “Well, she works here, and I thought it was her day off.”
“But...” I can already tell where this is going.
“But she’s filling in for someone else, so she’s inside.”
“Is that a problem? Do you want to go somewhere else?” I ask, because it doesn’t bother me where we go. We’re having coffee.
“No, I didn’t want to make things awkward, though. Figured being upfront about it would be best.”
“Maybe this is what she needs to notice you,” I say, walking toward the door.
“What?” Austin holds the door open for me and follows me inside to the counter.
We place our orders and then find an empty table to sit.
“Do you bring dates around her often?”
“Keely? Ah, no. The girls I date are...” He pauses, twisting his lips up while he thinks of what to say.
“Fluffle-heads?”
Austin barks out a laugh. “What?”
“Sorry. Umm. Basket bunnies. Ball bitches.” I offer with a smile.
“You sound so much like Colt calling them ball bitches.”
“Yeah, a lifetime growing up with him, he rubs off on you.” I hate the term, but it sticks.
“I get that. Growing up with Keely kind of turned me into a closet book nerd.”
“You like to read?” I sit a little straighter, my heart swells. He reads. That’s so sexy. Colt makes fun of me for reading.
“Yeah, but don’t tell the guys. They’d never let me hear the end of it.”
“Your secret’s safe with me. So, you don’t bring the fluffle-heads around Keely?”
Austin’s eyebrows pull together and his lips quirk at my term of endearment. “No. She’s too sweet. Too naïve. And I don’t like the disappointment on her face when she sees me with one.”
“How’s she going to react to me?”
Austin shrugs. “You’re different. You’re—” He’s cut off by the waitress bringing over our coffee. His mouth drops open and he shifts in his seat, leaning back, putting as much space between us as he can. “Keely.” He greets her, too bright, too happy. He sounds suspicious. “Hey!”
Keely places the coffee down in front of us and smiles. Her eyes dart to me before returning to Austin. She tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and speaks. “Hi.”
Her eyes flick to me again and Austin clears his throat. “This is Emerson. Emerson this is Keely.”
I smile and reach my hand out to shake hers. “Lovely to meet you. Austin’s told me so much about you.”
She doesn’t speak. Her eyes lower, and her cheeks redden as she forces a smile which is more a grimace.
Whoa. She is super shy.
“I have to go. Umm, I’ll speak to you later?” She eyes Austin, hope tainting her voice.
“Seven o’clock?” he confirms and she nods, before looking back at me.
“Bye.”
I take in her appearance. The headband in her hair, sensible shoes, frilly socks. She gives off the innocent and naïve vibe. I glance at Austin, his eyes trained on her, and try to picture them together.
He’s tall, tanned, well built. There’s a scar running down the left side of his jaw to his chin. His golden-brown hair looks like he rolled out of bed. There’s mischief in his eyes. He and Keely couldn’t be any more different, yet he looks at her like she hung the moon.
“What’s at seven o’clock?” I ask, pulling my coffee mug closer.
“I meet her in the library, and we study together.” He shrugs.
Not what I was expecting, but it’s sweet.
I focus my gaze over at the counter and catch Keely watching us. She turns away almost immediately, pretending to be cleaning. I’m almost positive she doesn’t like the fact I’m sitting here with her best friend drinking coffee.
Jealousy is a universal language everyone understands, and right now she is screaming at me.