Noah isn’t done yet, though. “Funny how whenever Chelsea is around, that chip on your shoulder gets a little less noticeable, and the ice around your stone cold heart melts away like someone left the freezer door open.”
“You’re ridiculous. I vote we ditch your ass and go to Brewski’s.”
Noah doesn’t look affronted. Nothing much fazes him. We’re nothing alike in personality, but we’ve had this back-and-forth banter since we were little kids.
“A dive bar?” Mitch almost chokes on his beer. “Maybe Noah’s right, are you feeling okay?” He reaches to press his hand against my forehead and I swat him away.
“Clearly, you’re all gonna be asshats today,” I sigh. “I might take my beer to the bar and ditch all of you.”
“What would be so bad about Chelsea anyway?” Isaac goes on. “She’s hot.”
I punch him in the arm. “Quit it.”
“What?” he sputters. “You’re that sensitive about Chelsea and you’re not boning her? Seems fishy to me.”
“It is possible for a man to be friends with a woman and notboneher,” I retort.
A few seconds pass, then all three of them burst out laughing.
Mitch thumps me on the back. “Good one.” He continues laughing even when I shrug him off.
“Laugh all you want, but clearly the realms of an actual adult friendship between a man and a woman are beyond all of your pea-sized brains,” I say, taking another pull of my beer.
“But Chelsea is a fox,” Mitch adds. “You can’t deny it. I mean, haven’t you ever wondered?”
Of course I’ve wondered. Ever since the sponge incident the other day at the office, I’ve been keeping my distance. I fucking touched her, and kept my hand on her face. She was gracious enough to laugh it off, but she did look at me weird. Like ‘what the hell are you doing?’ kinda weird, but she’s too nice to tell me to keep my paws to myself. I hope she doesn’t let other guys just touch her whenever the fancy takes them.
“No,” I lie. “I haven’t.”
“Not once?” Isaac presses. “She rocks that Sweet Confetti apron like nobody’s business.”
I don’t like that he’s noticed, and when he sees my nostrils flare, he waves his hands in a surrendering motion. “How about we change the subject. Chelsea and Deaton are off limits.”
“Touchy,” Mitch whispers.
Noah taps his nose. “It’s okay, your secrets are safe with us, bro.”
I end up ditching my brother and my friends shortly after, not because I’m that annoyed with them — even though they’re being dicks — but because I get a frantic message from the woman herself.
Chelsea
Hey, Brad. I’m sorry for the late text, but I need a favor
Me
Anything
Chelsea
I have to close up tomorrow because one of my staff is sick and I can’t get to Deat’s soccer game
Me
Did you need me to take him?
Chelsea
I hate to ask, but that would be amazing if you could
