Warmth spreads along my limbs at the sight of him, and this time, I don’t need to feel guilty about it.Arms linked, heads slightly bowed, Gen and I merge with the crowd, charging through like a pair of mini-linebackers.
Jaeger glances up.A broad smile sweeps his face, sending my heart into hyperdrive.Within seconds, he’s by my side, dragging me to his solid chest and draping an arm over Gen’s shoulders.“Ladies!You made it.”
This is where I want to be.Attraction aside, there’s something about Jaeger that’s so comforting and natural, it’s like I should have been here all along.
Jaeger settles us under each of his muscled arms and guides us toward the kitchen, illuminated like a beacon within the mood-darkened apartment.He heads to the keg and pours out two beers, then nods to a corner in the dining area where his friends are located.The crowd parts for him as he walks over, Gen and I tucked close behind.
Mason’s hair and clothes are rumpled, as if it’s been a rough night.Adam stands beside Breanna, but she doesn’t look happy.It could have something to do with the fact that Adam is chatting up the girl next to him.
God, I’m sick of crappy boyfriends.
Mason spots Gen and his slightly glassy eyes light up.“You made it!”He grabs her waist and gives her a tight hug, taking a deliberate step back to run his gaze down her body.“And you look really pretty.”
A flush spreads over Gen’s cheeks.
Nothing like Gen flustered over male attention to put a smile on my face.
Mason steps closer and drapes an arm over her shoulders.Oh, yeah, he wants her.Not that I doubted it, but with Mason in what I presume to be a drunken state, it’s obvious.
Gen subtly leans away, which is baffling.Mason’s a little tipsy, but he’s hot and sweet.She should be all over that.
I nudge her closer, just to be annoying.
She reaches back and pinches the thin skin on my forearm.It hurts like a bitch.I should never underestimate Gen in a test of physical prowess.The girl may be all that is elegance and poise, but she has her scrappy moments.
Point taken.Cali’s matchmaking operation is shut down.I’ve proven I’m a poor judge of mates.
I glance at Jaeger, who is still inexplicably animated this evening.He’s actually doing the talking in a conversation with Adam.No matter what mistakes I made in choosing Eric, there’s no question that Jaeger is a good guy.And to confuse the situation even more, I don’t think Eric is a bad guy either.He just wasn’t a good guy with me.Which means good guys can be bad guys with the wrong girl…
My brain hurts.I’ll take a partial differential equation any day over this shit.
Maybe I should give up the whole dating thing for a while.Take a vacation from it.Focus on the future.Law school…
Okay, maybe just the immediate future, not the post-immediate future I’m not ready for.
A sharp heel punctures my musings—and my ballet flats—breaking the skin on the top of my foot.My gag reflexes activate.Mothereffer!
Before I can even hop on one leg and attempt recovery, I’m knocked to the side by a bony hip as the wielder of the heel, wearing a cellophaned-on dress, latches on to Jaeger.
“We’re taking shots.Join us,” she says and yanks Jaeger away.
Jaeger hesitantly follows, glancing back without making eye contact.
I sip my beer, fighting the urge to throw my cup at the girl’s head.She’s all over him, and I hate it.
I hate it that I hate it.
Breanna and I talk for at least an hour, and I’m so proud of myself.I don’t look for Jaeger once.This is a massive accomplishment, because I’m obsessively glancing every few minutes at my phone to keep my subconscious occupied.However, in my colossal effort to keep from looking for Jaeger, I’ve lost Gen.
I remove my visual blinders to make sure my best friend hasn’t been roofied.I spot her a few feet away in a corner, loomed over by a medium-sized guy with a black jacket and too much hair product.Gen in platforms is over six feet tall, so she must seriously be leaning away from this guy to be hidden.
The place is crowded and I’m trying to determine the most efficient way to reach her when I spot Mason.He’s facing me, and I wave for his attention.Amazingly, in all this chaos, he sees me and smiles.I gesture to Gen with a distressed look on my face.
Mason glances over and frowns.He immediately navigates his way through the crowd, slapping a large palm on the guy’s back.He pulls Gen out of the corner to his side.Casual words are exchanged between Mason and the unnamed male, then Gen and Mason walk off.
I catch Mason’s eye and give him a thumbs-up.He nods in recognition, but instead of bringing her over, he walks Gen across the room and up a flight of stairs.Gen doesn’t seem distressed.She’s grinning, and not a fake grin.This one’s genuine, so I assume she’s okay and return to my conversation.
Several more minutes pass as I listen to Breanna complain about Adam’s flirting with other women before I decide it’s time to check on Gen.“Breanna, watch my cup?”I hand her the beer I’ve barely touched.“I want to find out where Gen went.”
