“Oh my God,” I groan, “I’m sitting two feet from a live-action porno. I’m gonna throw myself out the window.”
“Shut the fuck up and let me kiss my wife.” Carter barks at me.
“Ughhhhh.”
The whole drive is a blur of them talking in sexual innuendos, and I literally almost puked in their back seat; they’re so in love, it’s sick. A part of me craves a deeper connection with a woman. I’ve only ever had one-night stands and never experienced a real connection with someone. I desperately long for that, especially with one woman.
We finally get to Maple and Magnolia, and it’s a nightmare. Catalina is sitting in Carter’s lap, as if the booth isn’t big enough for all of us. She’s feeding him bites of pancake while he keeps his hand suspiciously low on her thigh.
I flag down the waitress.
“Can I get an iced coffee, two aspirins, and a taser? Preferably in that order.”
She laughs like I’m joking.
I’m not.
“Get a fucking room,” I mutter, stabbing my fork into my stack of pancakes.
Catalina beams at me, all fake sweetness. “Aw, what’s wrong, Hayes? Feeling lonely?”
“Feeling violated, actually.”
She leans forward, propping her chin on her hand. “No, seriously, what’s up with you?”
I sigh and rake a hand through my hair. Cupcake nudges my foot under the table like she knows I’m about to confess something stupid.
“My PR agent called me last night,” I mutter, dragging a hand down my face as I lean back in the booth, my eyessquinting against the morning light. “Didn’t even say hi; just launched into a meltdown about how I’m single-handedly tanking my career.”
I grab my iced coffee, taking a long sip before continuing with a grimace. “She said if I don’t clean up my image immediately, I’ll lose three major sponsorships, my Gatorade deal, and maybe even my shot at the docuseries.”
Carter snorts. “Who tells you to be stupid.”
“Thanks for the support, asshole.”
“So what are you going to do?” Catalina asks, raising a brow.
I stare at her, twirling my straw in my cup. “I need Amelia’s new number.”
Both of them blink.
Carter frowns as he looks at Catalina, who’s already narrowing her eyes.
“Why?”
“No reason.”
She blinks again. “You’re fucking weird.”
“But honest,” I shoot back.
She sighs as she pulls out her phone and texts me. “If you get her arrested or give her an STD, I’m legally required to kill you.”
“Okayyy.” I grin, trying not to look like I’m spiraling internally.
Carter takes a long sip of his coffee as he holds on to Catalina. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, looking at the number like it’s either going to save my life or end it. “But maybe I’m a genius too.”
