“Fuck Devil’s Bluff. Just you and me, yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said softly, ducking her head so the fall of her hair hid her face. God, she was making things so weird.
“We can do whatever you want. I just want to hang out with you, Keira.”
“That sounds good.”
His grin was blinding. “Cool. I’ll shoot you a text later today so we can set something up.”
“Yeah, okay.” She stood there, not moving, but her cheeks hurt from how big her smile was. He gave her a wink before leaving the cafeteria. She watched him the whole time, and when he disappeared from her view, she blinked back to reality and looked around, noticing so many people staring at her and of course leaning in to whisper shit.
She had no doubt the rumors about them would start back up, but she… really didn’t give a shit and instead let her smile grow as she looked at some of the nosey assholes who glared at her.
Keira made her way toward where Molly and Ian were and set her tray on the table before pulling the chair out and taking a seat. Keira didn’t miss the instant tension in the air when she was next to her best friends. They were so anxious with each other they hadn’t even been watching the interaction between her and Reese like everyone else.
Sighing heavily, she grabbed her sandwich and started eating. But her quiet lunch was short-lived when Molly started in on the questions.
“What’s going on with you and Reese Trenton?”
Okay, so I guess they did notice the interaction between us.
Keira lifted her gaze from her food to look between Ian and Molly. “What are you talking about?” she said between a mouthful of food. She could play dumb.
Molly narrowed her eyes. “Come on now. You two looked really friendly over there. Not to mention you’ve been talking an awful lot this last week.” Molly leaned forward. “I mean, your smile could have blinded the entire damn lunchroom as you stared up at him with these googly eyes.”
“Leave her alone, Molly,” Ian said without looking at her, but she ignored him.
“What’s the big deal?” Keira averted her gaze and went back to eating her sandwich, but she knew Molly wouldn’t stop until she was satisfied.
“There isn’t a big deal, but whatever is going on between you two isn’t just being friends.”
“Maybe it is,” Keira muttered.
Molly snorted. “You don’t see the way he looks at you?”
Keira wasn’t about to take that bait. She shrugged and kept eating. “He doesn't look at me like anything, Molly.”
“Okay.” She really dragged that lone word out. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Keira looked at Molly then, a spark of irritation building inside her. “What do you mean by that? He's been nothing but nice to me. He even helped me at Alistor’s.” Keira cut her focus to Ian, but he was too busy talking to some guy beside him. She knew damn well he planned that so he didn’t have to get involved.
If nothing else, he was smart.
“He isn’t like every other asshole who goes to this damn school, Molly.”
Her friend sighed. “I’m not saying he is, Keira, but you and I both know it’s not like he’s some angel either.”
Keira narrowed her eyes at Molly. “Why, because he’s poor, like that's some kind of dirty word in this fucking town? Or because he has a shitty home life? Maybe because he doesn't drive a Porsche or BMW? Or maybe it’s because people in this hellhole like to gossip like little bitches and talk about how he’s nothing but trouble?” Keira was fired up and didn’t mean to take it out on Molly. She knew her friend was just looking out for her, but even if she hadn’t known Reese personally for very long, he was so different in the best of days.
“Breathe, girl. Damn,” Molly said and chuckled.
“He wants to be friends, okay? We are just friends.”
Molly looked down and picked at her salad. “I just worry about you.”
Keira smiled and reached out to touch Molly’s hand. “I know. And thank you. I love you for it. But I promise, everything is good.” Molly lifted her eyes and nodded.
“Okay, then conversation done and over with.”
“You guys want to hang out this weekend? Maybe hit up Devil’s Bluff? You know there will be a party there this weekend,” Ian asked.
Keira shook her head. “I’ve, uh… got plans with Reese.”
Ian shrugged and started eating. Molly smiled, but aside from that, they didn’t speak… or look at each other.
Keira was tired of this shit. “Are you guys going to tell me what the hell is going on between you two?”
A mask instantly covered Ian’s face, and he glanced at Molly. Neither said anything.
“Okay, well I’m not going to press, but the tension is starting to make me antsy.”
Molly stood suddenly and grabbed her tray. “Give me a call later, Keira.” She didn’t bother looking at Ian before she left.
Keira glanced at Ian, who just shook his head and went back to eating. She wouldn’t dig, but it would be a lie not to admit the questions on what was going on between them were weighing heavily on her. They’d never acted like this in all their years of friendship.
“Not that it’s my business, but what is really going on with you and Reese Trenton?” Ian asked around a mouthful of food. Leave it to him to not take a play from Molly’s book, or hell, Keira’s, and not press when she clearly didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
“Friends, Ian. We are friends.” And she left it at that as she stood, grabbed her tray, and left.
14
“So, what, you’re into little Keira Sheppard?” Nate prompted, but he seemed less than invested in the conversation as he leaned against his car, his arms crossed, his focus scanning the parking lot. “You trying to fuck her, or what?” Nate glanced at Reese when he didn’t respond. “Her brother may kick your ass, but I bet she’d be a wildcat in bed. The shy ones usually are.”
Reese curled his fingers into his palms and gritted his teeth at Nate. “Dude, shut the fuck up, or I’m gonna knock your fucking teeth in.”
Nate snorted but grinned. “Really, dude? Who are you talking to right now? That scary, alpha shit doesn't work on me.”
Apparently, Reese telling him he’d kick his ass wasn’t threatening enough. Then again, this was Nate, a tough motherfucker who didn’t give a shit what anyone thought or did. It’s one of the reasons they got along so well. Reese was the same way.
Keira was always on his mind… like right now, like every fucking minute of every fucking day.
“You going to Devil’s Bluff this weekend for Krank’s party?” Nate asked, still seeming like he had something better to do. When Reese didn’t answer yet again, Nate looked at him and lifted an eyebrow.
“Doubtful. I’m hanging with Keira, and that’s better than getting fucking wasted and jumping off the damn ledge into the lake, wondering if some drunk asshole is gonna drown this time.”
The more time he spent with Keira, the more he realized all this other bullshit was just that—bullshit.