“Cool.”
Aiden gives me a look. “What?” I say, uncapping my drink to take another sip.
“You’re awfully chatty today.”
“Shut up.”
I start walking away and Aiden calls out, “Now that’s the Clay I know and love!”
If my friendliness toward his girlfriend surprises him, he’s going to crap himself when he sees me dating our new intern. I’m even having a hard time believing what I’m about to do. But what else is there to do when you can’t keep someone off your mind? I’m about to make a huge mistake, but whatever. I’ve done worse.
I walk toward the score tower which is where I last saw Avery hanging out with Zach’s girlfriend, Bree. I peer in the window which is open, but I only see Bree in there. She’s pouring hot chocolate packets into two cups of steaming water.
“Where’s Avery?” I ask.
Bree gives me an odd look. “Why? Is something wrong?”
Yes, I think.I’m about to ask her out –which is very wrong.But Bree is of course referring to Avery as an intern, and if there’s something wrong with work stuff. I shake my head. “I just had to ask her something.”
“She’s on the bleachers,” Bree says, going back to stirring her hot chocolates. “You want one?”
“No, thanks.”
I turn to leave, and Bree is wearing the same expression Aiden had a minute ago. Why is everyone so weirded out when I’m being nice? I’m not that much of a jerk, am I?
As I make my way to the bleachers, I realize Avery isn’t alone. There’s some guy sitting next to her. He’s a bigger guy, probably a little older but not by much. No one else is on the bleachers besides the two of them, and I’m tempted to keep on walking. But maybe she needs a distraction from this dude. He might be bothering her.
They’re sitting on the third bleacher from the bottom, so I step up to her row and give her a nod. “How’s it going?”
Avery smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “You looked good out there.”
“Thanks. I felt good.” I can tell the guy is staring at me. “How’s it going, man?” I say, trying to be cool about it.
He stands up and he’s nearly as tall as I am, but he’s twice as wide. “Hey man, nice to meet you,” he says, beaming at me with a bright smile. He holds out his hand to shake mine. “I’m Tom. Huge fan.”
“Zach’s friend?” I say, shaking his hand. Zach’s talked about a guy named Tom from his home track. I guess this guy isn’t some rando that I can shoo off.
“That’s me.” Tom sits back down next to Avery. The way he smiles at her makes my chest tighten. He’s totally into her.
I sit on the other side of her, trying to keep my cool. Tom starts talking to Avery, continuing what must have been a conversation from before I arrived. He’s asking her questions about being an intern and she’s answering with more enthusiasm than she’s ever given me. I gaze out at the track and act like I’m just hanging out taking a break, but I listen to every word they say.
He’s laying it on thick, like he’s worried if he doesn’t win her over in the next five seconds that she’ll float away and disappear forever. What’s worse is that she’s laughing at every lame ass joke he makes.
After a few minutes, the rest of the guys walk over and take a seat and the conversation shifts. Zach and Tom start asking what’s for lunch, and soon we’re all agreeing to get food together. So much for my lunch date idea.
Aiden asks me about my bike’s suspension and if I felt it was a little too tight today. I’m trying to answer him while keeping an eye on the guy who is stealing my crush out from under me. We leave the bleachers and start walking toward the cars and Tom is freaking glued to her side the whole time.
“You want to ride with me to lunch?” he asks her.
“Sure,” she says, flashing him a smile.
Jealousy flares up in me. Aiden says something but I’m not listening. I nod toward him but I can’t take my eyes off Avery as she climbs into Tom’s truck.
Whatever.
This was a stupid idea anyway.
Chapter 12
