“And she knows why. Come on, guys. Early practice tomorrow.” I leveled them with a glare, hoping they’d follow.
“Do you ever smile? You’re like an eighteen-year-old miserable old man,” she said.
I spun around. “Do you have to be at every game? Can’t you and your minions find somewhere else to go?”
“Free country. Last time I checked it was anyway.” She inched closer to me until we were chest to chest. Ready for battle, just like always.
My dick was ready for something else. It didn’t care how heinous she was. It just wanted inside her. My mouth and my hands had the same traitorous impulses. The girl made me crazy on so many levels I couldn’t see straight.
“Leave me alone, Olivia,” I growled, my eyes so glued to hers I barely blinked. “Why are you always everywhere? I can’t even have a fucking break without you lurking around.”
“Why do you care? If you hate me so much, why do you care what I do?” She sighed, her dark eyes narrowed to slits at me. “I don’t have time for this tonight. I’ll wait for my minions outside.”
Her boots ground against the dirt as she stormed away. Everyone, including me, tracked each sway of her hips until she was out of sight.
“Why do you hate her so much?” Micah asked. “She seemed nice. If I take her out, is there going to be an issue?”
“Nope. If you want to date the antichrist in heels,” I said as I walked ahead to the parking lot, “don’t let me stop you.”
She was a constant thorn in my side whenever she was in my proximity, but now she wanted to be friends?
I guessed, looking back, there were times that I gave as good as I got. I was too exhausted at the moment to attempt to keep score. If she wanted to call a truce, genuine or not, my inclination was to just take it.
I nodded, scrubbing a hand down my face. I couldn’t not go to Donnie’s wedding, and even if I decided to be an immature dick and sit it out, I was responsible for his wedding cake. I needed to nut up and figure out how to get through the day.
“What Amy did to you sucked,” Olivia said. “And to have to go to your cousin’s wedding and see her is awful.”
“I figured you heard enough.” I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck. “And my mother told your mother about what happened with Amy. Not much is sacred, I suppose.”
She leaned forward in the chair. “Did you really think I would make fun of you for any of that? I’m not that bad, Tyler. Give me some credit.”
I glanced at her, quirking a brow.
“Family functions aren’t exactly fun for me to begin with,” I said. “Not like your family.”
She let out a throaty laugh that, even in the throes of my pity party of one, ran right through me. Nice, evil—Olivia was ridiculously attractive in all forms. As a boy and as a man, I never knew how to respond to it.
“My family is loud and insane.”
“But nice. They treat you like the princess with the keys to the kingdom, not the loser with a job they look down upon.”
“They don’t think you’re a loser. They’re all jealous. You own your own business and make your own rules.” She motioned to the cluster of cousins next to the grill. “They’re just suits. Boring. Go to Donnie’s wedding with your head held high, and don’t give them a second thought.”
“Easier said than done.” I scoffed, but not because of my cousins. Seeing the woman I’d once thought of as the love of my life with the real love of her life was what took the wind out of my sails today.
“Take a hot date, throw them all for a loop.” Her lips curved in a devious smile.
Dating or even meeting women hadn’t been a priority for me for a long time—my work schedule didn’t exactly allow hot nights out, at least not right now. I had to be up at three, at the shop by five, and in bed before most middle schoolers.
“I don’t know of anyone I hate enough to subject to that shit show.” I leaned my elbow against my knee, rubbing at my eyes.
“Then take me with you.”
My jaw dropped, as I was sure I’d heard wrong.
“Oh my God, would it bethatterrible to take me to a wedding with you?”
“Well, judging how this is the longest we’ve gone without an argument, a whole wedding is reaching a little, don’t you think?”
